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Liam O'Dell
May 10, 2022
Tory MP jokes new Bill will protect ‘the unsuspecting farmer from nefarious internet videos
ParliamentLive.TV
As the House of Commons debates the legislative proposals laid out in the Queen’s Speech, one Tory MP took the opportunity to crack a joke about recent events involving a former politician and farmer who viewed pornography in Parliament.
Fay Jones, who represents Brecon and Radnorshire, seconded the Queen’s Speech and was talking about plans for agriculture in the announcement when she made a joke about ex-Conservative MP Mr Neil Parish.
“I welcome the measures in the Gracious Address, which will see British produce on tables around the world, and even the Online Safety Bill, which will protect the unsuspecting farmer from nefarious internet videos,” she said, before letting out a laugh herself.
We’re aware explaining a joke perhaps ruins its shine, but for those who didn’t get the gag, Mr Parish claimed one of the two incidents which saw him watch porn in the Commons was an accident.
“The situation was that, funnily enough, it was tractors I was looking at. I did get into another site that had a very similar name and I watched it for a bit which I shouldn’t have done,” he told BBC South West last month.
Describing the incident as a “moment of madness”, Mr Parish resigned as the MP for Tiverton and Honiton on 4 May.
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With ‘porngate’ still fresh in the minds of the public, some Twitter users soon expressed their glee at Ms Jones’ remark:
Joke of the day from Fay Jones, who says the Online Safety bill will protect the "unsuspecting farmer from nefarious internet videos"pic.twitter.com/ryva4AH42y— Alexander Brown (@Alexander Brown) 1652192111
I love how pleased she is with the joke— Benjamin Butterworth (@Benjamin Butterworth) 1652192272
Magnificent work— Kate Masterofwhine \ud83d\udd77 (@Kate Masterofwhine \ud83d\udd77) 1652192497
Others, meanwhile, suggested it wasn’t the time for jokes, or something to poke fun at:
Grim chuckles and laughter while millions skip meals and millions of children pulled into poverty.\n\nCompletely removed from the real world.— SH (@SH) 1652191918
'Next up' at the UK Parliament Comedy Festival 2022 'it's #Conservative MP Fay Jones' with jokes about tractor porn.\n\nStay tuned for jokes about 'heating or eating' and the 'war in Ukraine' \n\n#Disgraceful— Crixus Murmillo (@Crixus Murmillo) 1652192373
The Online Safety Bill, one of 38 pieces of proposed legislation mentioned in the Queen’s Speech, looks to “make the UK the safest place in the world to be online by improving protections for users, especially children, whilst protecting freedom of expression”.
Other measures announced by Prince Charles – who stepped in for the Queen following her experiencing “episodic mobility problems” – include a ban on conversion therapy practices which seek to change a person’s sexual orientation, and replacing the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights.
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