Police have ruled out a criminal investigation into Nigel Griffiths MP after he was exposed two weeks ago by the News of the World for taking “pictures of his mistress during drunken sex sessions inside the Commons”.
Parliamentary commissioner for standards John Lyon has already rejected calls for an investigation without asking to see the NoW’s evidence.
According to the NoW this weekend, Lyon is now reconsidering his position.
This weekend a spokesman for the Met Police said: “Having considered the complaint, the Met Office believes the matter can be dealt with by the parliamentary commissioner for standards and therefore is not commencing a criminal investigation.”
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The NoW revelations were published after a High Court judge rejected Griffiths’ bid to stop publication.
Edinburgh South Labour MP Nigel Griffiths made an application to Mr Justice King in a bid to stop the News of the World printing allegations that he was involved in the romp on the evening of November 11 – Remembrance Day – last year, and that he took photographs which he later downloaded on to a laptop computer.
The NoW reported that Griffiths took dozens of pornographic pictures of his brunette mistress cavorting in his Commons office, then downloaded them on to his computer – and later claimed he was so drunk he could hardly remember what happened.
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Mr Justice King condemned the MP, declaring: “At the very least, he was being economical with the truth. It could be said to be a lie but I don’t have to go that far.”
The judge also said the News of the World was right to expose the MP’s behaviour in his Westminster office, adding: “I accept the fact that the claimant has not only taken pictures but also downloaded them does not sit easily with his public statement that he is ashamed and has little recollection.”
He added: “It is legitimate to bring into the public domain the totality of the material. There is a clear public office element.
“I accept there is a legitimate interest of the public in the way MPs use access to offices that they get as a result of their public office.
“There is a right to prevent the public from being significantly misled. The paper should be free to put the record straight as to what the claimant said in response to the article.”
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