Tory MPs who spent several hours ‘talking out’ a bill to make upskirting a criminal offence in 2018 have now been knighted for their ‘services to public life’.
Philip Davies – whose wife is the Government’s “common sense” minister Esther McVey – received a gong for public and parliamentary service at the recommendation of Rishi Sunak.
Former sports minister Tracey Crouch, who led a review of football governance in the wake of proposals for a breakaway European Super League, has also been given a damehood for public and parliamentary service, while businessman Mohamed Mansour, who gave £5 million to the Tories in 2023 and is a senior treasurer at the party, was knighted for business, charity and political service.
Back in 2018, Davies was one of the two MPs who helped block a cross-party bill to make the taking of photos up women’s skirts a criminal offence.
Davies and Christopher Chope, who also received a knighthood in 2018, spent several hours speaking in the House of Commons in a successful attempt to talk out the bill.
Under archaic parliamentary rules, MPs are able to block bills brought forward by backbench MPs on Friday sessions if the debate extends beyond 2.30pm
Once the 2.30 deadline passed, MPs were asked whether they objected to the bill continuing its route through parliament after which Chope replied “object” thereby delaying its passage for months.
Both Chope and Davies have a long history of talking out backbench bills. In the past, they have talked out bills on everything from an attempt to give carers free hospital parking, to a bill designed to protect tenants from being unfairly evicted.
They were widely condemned in the aftermath of the upskirting bill, including by some of their Conservative colleagues.
“Do not underestimate just how furious many Tory MPs are about this. This kind of thing does far more damage to the public’s view of our party than endless debates about customs arrangements,” Paul Masterton MP tweeted.
Masterton was backed by fellow Conservative Tom Tugenhadt who called on Chope to apologise for his “shaming” actions.