Parish expected to quit as MP

Tiverton & Honiton in porn scandal

It is being reported that Tiverton & Honiton MP Neil Parish is to resign today.

Mr Parish was named on Friday as the member of parliament believed to have viewed pornography on his phone in the House of Commons.

He suggested he could have opened a file in error, and that he would resign if a parliamentary standards enquiry, to which he had referred himself, found him guilty. 

However, the BBC has been told he may resign today. 

The Conservative party withdrew the whip on Friday, meaning he is currently an independent MP.

His resignation, if it comes, will trigger a by-election in the constituency, which is slated to be abolished at the next election when boundaries are to be re-drawn.

Mr Parish has represented Tiverton & Hontion since 2010, which the Tories came back into power in a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, after 13 years in opposition. Before that he had been a member of the European Parliament, representing the south west.

In an interview with BBC Spotlight on Friday, he said: "t's embarrassing for my wife and family, and so that's my main concern at the moment. I have a very supportive wife and I thank her for that."

He apologised for the upset he had caused.