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Burton's sex text shame MP Andrew Griffiths has been "tainted by a torrent of sleaze," claims the regional boss of the UK's largest union amid growing calls for him to resign.

In a scathing attack on the married father-of-one, Unite regional officer Rick Coyle said Burton's electorate deserved an MP with "credibility and respect," and claimed the Tory MP could no longer represent the community.

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.

After details of the text messages were revealed by the Sunday Mirror, Mr Griffiths, who issued a public apology for his behaviour, was back in Parliament on Monday, July 16, voting on the Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Bill; on Tuesday, July 17, on the Trade Bill; and Wednesday, July 18, for the Prime Minister's crunch European Union vote.

It was later revealed that the MP had been promoted to Minister for Small Business in January despite being under investigation over allegations of inappropriate touching and bullying by Deneice Florence-Jukes, a former Tory borough councillor, who had filed a formal complaint three months earlier. She now stands as an independent on East Staffordshire Borough Council after resigning from the Tory Party over bullying allegations.

More than 5,000 people have signed a petition calling on Mr Griffiths, 47, to step down as MP and two demonstrations are planned in Burton on Saturday, July 28, and next month.

The Burton Mail also spoke to 11 Tory borough councillors, the majority of whom condemned his actions, with two calling for his resignation.

(Image: The Mirror)

Now Unite has thrown its weight behind growing calls for Mr Griffiths to stand down after he became embroiled in the sex text scandal.

Unite will be taking part in a rally organised by East Staffordshire Trades Union Council outside Burton Town Hall at noon on Saturday, July 28, calling for the MP, a former banker, to quit the seat he has held since 2010.

The union argues that the constituency needs to have an MP with the credibility and respect to fight on wider issues affecting the 75,000-strong electorate – and not one "irredeemably tainted by a torrent of sleaze."

Mr Coyle, who will be speaking at Saturday’s rally, said: “We are calling for Andrew Griffiths to stand down because of his disgraceful behaviour in the sex text scandal.

“But there is a wider issue at play here and that is the people of Burton deserve a MP with the credibility and respect among his peers to fight on behalf of his constituents on topics such as the cash-strapped NHS, the economy and the large pockets of social deprivation afflicting Burton.

(Image: Mirror)

“We don’t believe that Andrew Griffiths, a politician irredeemably tainted by a torrent of sleaze, has the necessary stature to fight Burton’s corner locally, regionally and nationally.

“He has become a figure of derision and scorn – and he can no longer effectively represent the constituency he was elected to serve. As a matter of honour, he should resign immediately as an MP,” he said.

CAMRA

CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) has declined to comment on whether the organisation will strip Mr Griffiths of his Parliamentary Campaigner of the Year award.

In 2016 he stepped down as chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group following his appointment as a member of the Government Whips’ Office. Parliamentary rules mean members of the Government are not allowed to chair all-party groups.

He had been chairman of the Beer Group for five years. During his time as chairman he received the CAMRA parliamentary campaigner of the year award in 2015.

Following the recent revelations The Burton Mail asked Camra whether it would be removing the award, but a spokesman said the beer group would not be making any comment on the matter or the award given to the member, since the latest revelations did not involve Camra.