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Protesters calling for Burton MP Andrew Griffiths to stand down because of the scandal surrounding his sex texts have made their voices heard.

Jessica Eaton, an international researcher, writer and speaker on the forensic psychology of sexual violence, organised the protest in Burton town centre calling for the shamed MP to stand down from his position representing the town.

She was joined by a former colleague of the MP Deneice Florence-Jukes James, of Children's Pride, and Jaimi Shrive, women's officer for Burton Labour Party.

Impassioned speeches were made to shoppers and supporters citing the reasons they believe the MP should stand down.

It comes after Mr Griffiths, Prime Minister Theresa May's former chief of staff, resigned as Minister for Small Business on Friday, July 13, ahead of revelations in the Sunday Mirror that he had sent 2,000 sexually explicit and degrading text messages to two bar workers almost 20 years his junior.

Some of messages asked the women to beat each other, while he referred to himself as "daddy".

(Image: Derby Telegraph / Screen Photography)

In one message he asked them to tie each other up, and boasted: "I can be an evil ******* when I'm turned on."

The protest saw a crowd of people gather near to the entrance of Coopers Square shopping centre to hear what was being said.

Jessica, also of Victim Focus, said: "We don't need a massive crowd. It is just people who want to know what this is about and getting some idea that other people feel the same.

"It is really important that the Conservatives know that the attitude he has displayed is not acceptable.

"Victims who are experiencing this in their own relationship may be blaming themselves and we need to make sure people know that this type of behaviour is not acceptable in their own relationships as well.

"We need to keep publicising this message so he does not get away with it as people in their own relationships are going to think it is normal and not recognise it.

"For me it is about raising awareness and shouting the message.

"We demand better from him in terms of his attitudes towards women.

"There are around 52,000 women in his constituency but there is one that really matters and that is his wife.

"More than half of his constituents are women and I would certainly not feel comfortable talking to him as my MP.

"He would not allow another man to talk to his wife or daughter like that.

"It cannot just stop because they are waiting for it to quieten down and and disappear.

"He will slowly return to public life. We have to make sure that, if he does his surgeries or makes speeches, then we protest."

Jaimi said: "I just hope there is a clear message to Andrew Griffiths and everyone protecting him that we won't stand for it and won't stop until he is gone."

(Image: Derby Telegraph / Screen Photography)

James, of Children's Pride, said he was at the protest to speak on behalf of the young people who cannot yet vote.

He said: "The children of Burton have a right to have a voice and to have an MP to look up to in this town.

"None of us want our children to live by the morals of this man."

Independent Councillor Florence-Jukes, who sits on East Staffordshire Borough Council, said: "I felt it was important to come. We need to keep the message going that he is totally unfit to be the MP.

Time Line Shamed Tory MP Andrew Griffiths: A timeline of events Around January, this year. He follows the two women on Snap Chat and Facebook after seeing Imogen Treharne's friend at work while out in the constituency. He also becomes minister for small businesses April 10 His daughter is born June 16 He first makes contact with Imogen after she posts a racy video on social media platform Snap Chat at 7pm. June 17 His first father's day, he appeared on a BBC political show. At 4.24pm he tweeted a message to followers thanking the NHS for the care they gave his daughter. But at the same time he was messaging Imogen, asking if she was into “older men”. He later told her: “I just wish my little girl was sat on my knee. With those big t*ts in my face.” June 16 to July 6 Mr Griffiths sends 2,000 vile messages to the two women. July 6 Imogen breaks off contact after being left shocked by his growing perverted commands, she tells the Sunday Mirror. July 13 The MP is made aware of the news article about him about the break. He resigns as minister for small businesses and refers himself to the Conservative Party’s Code of Conduct procedures. July 14 The Sunday Mirror breaks the news online that Mr Griffiths had apologised for sending the vulgar messages. Later that same night some of the text messages are revealed to the public. The Burton Mail publishes a similar article. July 15 The Sunday Mirror publishes its damning article. The Burton Mail publishes the messages, and speaks to South Derbyshire Tory MP Heather Wheeler, as well as Paul Walker, chairman of Burton Constituency Labour Party. Comments from Burton Mail readers come flooding in. The Burton Mail publishes eight articles as the story breaks locally and nationally. Andrew Griffiths later tells the Burton Mail he is seeking professional help and hopes his constituents remember the good work he has done for the community over the last eight years. His friend, stand-up comedian Jim Davidson hails Mr Griffiths as a "bloody good bloke". July 16 The Mirror publishes more on the scandal with Imogen asking why she has not received an apology from the former minister. National calls are made for Mr Griffiths to resign. Labour Party group leader for East Staffordshire Borough Council, Michael Fitzpatrick, calls for the MP to resign his post. More of the messages he sent are revealed. Mr Griffiths exclusively tells the Burton Mail he will not be quitting as MP as vows to continue to serve his constituents. July 24 East Staffordshire Conservative Association reveals it is holding a meeting with members on August 6 to discuss the conduct of Andrew Griffiths. Members have the power to expel him from the association if they wish. July 28 Around 100 constituents join a protest organised by members of the East Staffordshire Trades Union Council. It called for Mr Griffiths to step down as MP. August 6 Around 200 members of the East Staffordshire Conservative Association gather for a special meeting into the conduct of the MP. Mr Griffiths is a no-show to the meeting and members were unable to hold a vote into his possible expulsion from the association. August 11 Jessica Eaton, an international researcher, writer and speaker on the forensic psychology of sexual violence, organised the protest in Burton town centre calling for the shamed MP to stand down from his position representing the town. August 15 National homeless charity YMCA has removed Burton MP Andrew Griffiths as a patron because he does "not fit with their values" following the recent sex text scandal. August 17 All three main opposition parties are ready to fight a by-election if sex text shame MP Andrew Griffiths resigns as Burton and Uttoxeter's representative at Westminster, it is revealed. Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party all say they are prepared to enter the fray if Mr Griffiths is forced to quit amid a continuing outcry over his behaviour. September 7 Shamed Andrew Griffiths has been asked to reapply for his job as the town's MP by his own party - a possible four years ahead of the next General Election in an unusual move. It comes as a top Tory claimed the shamed Tory MP was no longer the 'right candidate' to represent Burton. September 12 Burton's Labour Party has now revealed it is looking to begin its own selection process for a new candidate in response to the Tories - much sooner than it normally would. September 14 Andrew Griffiths' name has been removed from a plaque at Burton secondary school The de Ferrers Academy after pupils decided they did not want their school to be associated with the shamed MP. The MP had opened a £1.5 million maths building at the school in 2016. But the school council decided to ask for his name to be removed from a commemorative plaque. September 15 Crowds of protesters marched the streets of Burton calling for shamed Andrew Griffiths' resignation. Dozens of constituents turned out at King Edward Place to call for the Burton MP to step down. September 17 UKIP has already selected its candidate for the Burton Constituency - a possible four years ahead of the next General Election because the party's bosses say current MP Andrew Griffiths "must go". Derby city councillor Alan Graves has become the first candidate to be officially selected to fight the seat, which is currently held by Tory Mr Griffiths, who notched a healthy 10,000 majority at the last election in June 2017. September 24 Sex text shame MP Andrew Griffiths tells Tory Party colleagues he DOES want to stand for the Burton seat again at the next General Election. The married father-of-one has said he intends to contest the seat after being asked by Tory association colleagues -unusually early ahead of any possible General Election - what he intends to do. East Staffordshire Conservative Association had written to the MP asking if he wanted to be considered for the job - and he said yes. October 9 Andrew Griffiths has revealed that he will be making a 'full and frank' statement about why he has been absent from Parliament. In an exclusive statement to the Burton Mail, the MP said he intends to fully explain his absence after the conclusion of a national Tory Party investigation into his conduct. October 11 Former Burton MP Sir Ivan Lawrence has revealed there was no-one more surprised than him when it emerged Tory colleague Andrew Griffiths had sent a series of vile sex texts to two barmaids. Tory Sir Ivan, who was the town's Tory MP for 23 years, also said he could not think of "anyone less likely for this to happen to" than Mr Griffiths, who he knows. October 15 Mr Griffiths, 47, has now voted in Parliament for the first time since July 18. Mr Griffiths was in Parliament as the majority of MPs voted in favour of a new agricultural subsidy scheme to replace the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy; moving towards spending public money in return for environmental protection, public access to the countryside and measures to reduce flooding. October 23 Burton MP Andrew Griffiths has sensationally broken his silence on constituency matters by pledging to help Kerry Foods workers after the business lost a major contract. Mr Griffiths has not spoken publicly about any issues in his patch since being exposed on July 14. But now, after it emerged Kerry Foods had lost a major contract to supply Tesco ready meals, the married dad of one has spoken out. October 26 Burtonians held a 'protest party' - the fourth calling for the resignation of Andrew Griffiths. Having so far failed to persuade under-fire Andrew Griffiths to resign at three previous protest marches, some of his angry constituents are now trying a different approach. They boogied at Burton Caribbean Centre November 4 Burton MP Andrew Griffiths has spoken for the first time about his sex-text shame saying he suffered a breakdown which led to him spending 31 days in a psychiatric hospital as he struggled to come to terms with being abused as a child. Tory Mr Griffiths, 48, says he intended to take his own life after he was exposed for sending texts, many of which were sexually explicit to barmaid Imogen Treharne and her friend. He also said he was "working on his marriage" to wife Kate, 47, in the wake of the scandal, which led to many calls for him to resign, including marches in his Burton constituency calling for him to stand down as an MP. November 5 He releases a deeply personal and detailed statement to the Burton Mail after revealing he spent a month in a psychiatric hospital suffering from a breakdown and thought about suicide. November 6 A pastor who has spoken with Andrew Griffiths every day since the his sex text scandal shame was told has told how the MP was "in a lot of pain". Matthew Murray, a 31-year-old pastor from Renew Church, in Uttoxeter, spoke exclusively to the Burton Mail about his experiences with Mr Griffiths over the past four months. A top Tory peer Lord Pickles has called for sex text shame MP Andrew Griffiths to be treated with "compassion and understanding" in an impassioned defence of his long-time pal. November 7 South Derbyshire Tory MP Heather Wheeler says Andrew Griffiths has to "put his demons behind him" after leaving "a lot of people badly hurt" by his sex text scandal. The Burton MP's neighbouring political colleague has spoken out over the controversy nearly four months after Mr Griffiths was exposed by the Sunday Mirror - saying he now had to "get his life back on track." November 11 Burton's MP has made what is believed to be his first public appearance since his sex-text scandal shame as he attended Burton Remembrance Sunday parade and service. Andrew Griffiths was among those taking part in the parade through the streets of Burton for Remembrance Sunday commemorations, which this year marks 100 years since the end of the First World War.

"He has broken every single one of the Nolan Principles of Public Life making his position so untenable that he cannot perform the role he was elected to do.

"He has lost the trust of the people that he represents and put the media spotlight on Burton for all of the wrong reasons. He has managed to shame us in a way that no other MP that has represented us has done.

"If he does care that much about Burton and Uttoxeter, as he says he does, he should do the decent thing and resign to make way for someone who will do a good job."

(Image: Derby Telegraph / Screen Photography)

Many of those who came out to join the protest were also asking for Mr Griffiths to step down from his position as the town's MP.

Clifford Whetton, 59, of Stapenhill, said: "I think that it is time for him to go. He has not done a lot for Burton and it is time for a change."

Fraser Chatburn, 50, of Horninglow, who was representing Fathers For Justice, said: "I am here today to support equality for men and women.

"I have had face-to-face meetings with Andrew Griffiths and having been removed from the premises four times for non-violent direct action in family law.

"His recent behaviour after only being a father for three or four months only hinders progress when it comes to equality in the family courts."

John McKiernan, 61, of Stretton, who ran against Andrew Griffiths in the last election, said: "I am here to support Jessica.

"I think there is a huge element of misogyny and violence towards women from Andrew Griffiths and this is not acceptable.

"I think he should resign but I am slightly biased. I don't think it is something he can survive as it shames Burton and Uttoxeter."

Walid Qneibi, 63, of Brizlincote Valley, said: "The thing is he is getting paid for work that he is not doing and this is a flaw in the system and regime.

(Image: Derby Telegraph / Screen Photography)

"If he was working a normal job in a normal company he would have been out of work straight away without pay for his conduct.

"Also because of what he has done he is unable to do his work. He cannot carry on with his surgeries because he has lost the trust of his constituents."