A Conservative MP who objected to a bill to outlaw upskirting has now blocked new legislation that would have toughened laws against female genital mutilation.



Sir Christopher Chope, the 71-year-old MP for Christchurch, was branded an “embarrassment to [his] party and humanity” by a leading anti-FGM campaigner in text messages seen by BuzzFeed News.

On Friday afternoon in the House of Commons, Chope shouted "Object!" to block a bill tabled by Lord Berkeley that would have amended the Children Act to allow the courts to issue protection orders if they think a child is at risk of FGM.

He was immediately condemned by home secretary Sajid Javid, who tweeted: "Very disappointed by this. FGM is child abuse. I am determined to stamp out this despicable and medieval practice. We will do all we can protect girls at risk". Health secretary Matt Hancock added: "Outraged Chris Chope has blocked the FGM safeguarding Bill in Parliament today. His actions are wrong, pure & simple".

Labour called on the Tories to remove the whip. Shadow women's minister Dawn Butler said: "It's unacceptable that this dinosaur of a Tory MP consistently gets away with blocking new laws to protect the safety and rights of women".

The veteran Tory backbencher had come under significant pressure not to oppose the bill at its second reading on Friday.

Earlier this week prime minister Theresa May restated her commitment to end the practice and invited anti-FGM campaigners to Downing Street.

BuzzFeed News is told that government whips have held conversations with Chope in the last few days to convince him not to block the bill.

Chope is said to think it has not been properly debated. He has a history of objecting to private members' bills on the grounds that they do not receive sufficient scrutiny.

Last year he was widely criticised for blocking legislation to make upskirting a specific offence. He has previously objected to a bill that would have given a posthumous pardon to codebreaker Alan Turing following his homosexuality conviction.

A government source said on Friday morning: “We have done everything we can to support this bill. Christopher Chope is wrong. It will receive all the proper scrutiny during its passage through Parliament. We hope he changes his mind and recognises it would be wrong to object to the bill today.”

But Chope decided to object anyway.

The prominent anti-FGM campaigner Nimco Ali told BuzzFeed News she had “begged” Chope not to block the legislation in text messages on Thursday.

After Chope indicated he would still block the bill, Ali told him he didn’t care about FGM victims and was an “embarrassment”. Chope replied complaining that she was subjecting him to “verbal abuse and insults”.