Former Tory MP Neil Parish is considering a return to the political fold, having resigned a year ago this week after watching tractor porn in the House of Commons. Speaking to Devon Live today on the campaign trail for the crop of local Tory council candidates, Parish revealed he may stand as an independent at the next election:

 “I’m not against the Conservatives, Liberals or Labour or anybody, I just want to be for the area, and if I stand as an independent, that is what I will do. If I am going to stand, I will make a decision during the summer for sure. It’s very difficult in a parliamentary seat to suddenly pop up at the last minute; therefore, one will have to dig in […] When you have blotted your copybook, you have to see how people now view it. I think, on the whole, people think I did a stupid thing, but I think they also believe that I stood up for the area.”

Parish spent the first 24 hours of the “porno MP” scandal pretending he had no idea who it was, and even appeared on GB News to insist the whips’ office should conduct “a thorough investigation” into whodunnit. He lost the Tory whip and soon resigned when it turned out he was the culprit after all. Best of luck, Neil…