Upskirting law blocked by objection from Tory MP Christopher Chope... to cries of 'shame' from MPs

Eleanor Rose15 June 2018

A new law to make upskirting a specific criminal offence has been blocked at the last minute by an objection from one Conservative MP.

The Voyeurism (Offences) Bill was all set to progress into law, having won support from the Ministry of Justice before it was brought before the Commons.

But Sir Christopher Chope, a barrister and MP for Christchurch, shouted "object" to the private members bill, prompting cries of "shame".

The new law would have created a specific offence for upskirting allowing for sentences of up to two years.

Christopher Chope objected to the bill that would specifically outlaw 'upskirting'
Getty Images

But the Bill, brought by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse after campaigning by upskirting victim Gina Martin, will now be delayed.

Sir Christopher took advantage of an archaic rule to talk at length until the session's end at 2.30pm, preventing a debate from taking place.

The House could have allowed it to pass undebated, but in that situation it only takes one MP to shout "object" during the reading of the name of the Bill to stop it in its tracks, which Sir Christopher did.

The Government had shown its support for the legislation just hours before the session on Friday, with the Ministry of Justice tweeting to hail its progress.

It was the crucial backing campaigners - including Ms Martin, 26, and her wide network of supporters - were hoping for after months of meetings with the Ministry of Justice to thrash out terms.

But the Bill - which would have progressed to the amendment stage before returning to the Commons and the Lords and, later, receiving royal assent - was scuppered despite the best efforts of Ms Hobhouse to get Sir Christopher on side from the backbenches earlier in the session.

Campaigner Gina Martin, who was upskirted at a festival

MPs and campaigners reacted angrily to the news on social media.

Caroline Nokes, Conservative MP for Romsey and Southampton North, wrote on Twitter: "Hugely disappointed to see a colleague block a bill to protect women from so-called ‘upskirting’ today.

"No woman should ever face such an abhorrent act with no recourse to prosecution. Completely unfathomable."

Paul Masterton wrote that Tories were "furious" about the way the Bill has been blocked.

Mayor of London wrote that he was "dismayed and appalled".

Ms Martin posted a statement to Twitter to say she was "extremely upset and disappointed".

The intervention came as the lawyer known as Mr Loophole, Nick Freeman, caused uproar on social media by tweeting that "if women assumed some responsibility for their attire, they would not be in jeopardy".

"Prosecutions will only utilise valuable police and CPS resources that should be prioritised elsewhere," he wrote.

The bill will come back at a later hearing of private members' bills. The next scheduled date is July 6.

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