Upskirting: government confirms plan to introduce ban

The government has confirmed it will introduce legislation to ban upskirting after a Conservative backbencher was berated by party colleagues for blocking a bill to make the practice a specific criminal offence.

Downing Street said ministers would adopt the private member’s bill so that the surreptitious taking of sexually intrusive images would be outlawed before the summer recess.

Theresa May has come under intense pressure from MPs and the public to push through the law after Tory MP Sir Christopher Chope blocked the bill, which was put forward by the Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse, last Friday.

The prime minister promised on Sunday that the government would take on the legislation, which would create a new criminal offence punishable by up to two years in prison.

It followed a campaign by the freelance writer Gina Martin after police declined to prosecute a man accused of taking pictures up her skirt at a music festival in London last summer.

May tweeted on Sunday: “Upskirting is an invasion of privacy which leaves victims feeling degraded and distressed. I am disappointed the bill didn’t make progress in the Commons today, and I want to see these measures pass through parliament - with government support – soon.”

Cabinet ministers were among those who publicly criticised the move by Chope, whose Commons office door was adorned with a string of knickers on Monday. Homemade knicker bunting was also said to have been hung outside his constituency office in protest.

The home secretary, Sajid Javid, had revealed that his daughters would be disappointed and said the law needed to be reformed. The equalities minister, Penny Mordaunt, and the justice secretary, David Gauke, said change would come regardless, while Tory backbenchers were furious at the damage done to the party’s reputation.

The Tory MP Simon Clarke said Chope had “embarrassed himself” and “does not speak for me or Conservatives” on the issue, while fellow Dorset MP and defence minister Tobias Ellwood branded him “a dinosaur”.

The cabinet on Monday discussed the issue, which typically involves taking a picture of a person’s underwear without their knowledge. However, there was no specific mention of Chope or the potential reform of private members’ bills.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The cabinet discussed upskirting, which the prime minister said is an invasion of privacy which leaves victims feeling degraded and distressed.”

The Commons leader, Andrea Leadsom, had told colleagues “the measure is one the government supports and has received extensive support both within and outside parliament”.

The PM”s spokesman added: “She was pleased to confirm that we will adopt this as a government bill. The aim is to secure second reading as soon as possible and before the summer recess”.

Chope, who has regularly obstructed private members’ bills in the past, delayed the voyeurism (offences) bill on upskirting by shouting “object” during its second reading in the Commons, meaning it could not be put through to the next stage without debate and a vote, which will not happen for weeks.

The MP for Christchurch said he backed the intent of the bill, and objected to it because he does not support the principle of legislation being passed without debate at second reading. He said he hoped the government would now adopt it.

In an interview with his local newspaper, he admitted to being “a bit sore about being scapegoated” over the bill. “The suggestion that I am some kind of pervert is a complete travesty of the truth,” he told the Bournemouth Echo.

Chope has also asked why, if the issue was such a priority, ministers had not allowed government time for legislation, rather than in effect squeezing the time available for other backbench bills.