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An MP who sent masses of lewd text messages to two women has been cleared of wrongdoing by the parliamentary standards watchdog.

Married father Andrew Griffiths, 48, resigned as small business minister last July after it was revealed he had sent 2,000 texts to barmaid Imogen Treharne and a friend in just 21 days.

The messages were sent weeks after the birth of his first child and when they came to light Mr Griffiths apologised and said he was "deeply ashamed" of his behaviour.

The watchdog said it had not found evidence the Burton and Uttoxeter MP sent the messages while he would have been engaged parliamentary activities.

Allegations he breached the House of Commons Code of Conduct were not upheld.

Mr Griffiths is said to have bombarded Ms Treharne, 28, and her friend with messages in which he referred to himself as "Daddy" and asked for explicit photos.

A resolution letter said: "Mr Griffiths' conduct has undoubtedly damaged his own reputation, as well as his health and family relationships.

"However damaging these events have been for Mr Griffths personally, I am not persuaded that the texts he exchanged with the two women have caused significant damage to the reputation of the House of Commons as a whole, or of its Members generally."

First elected in 2010, Mr Griffiths was appointed to the small business role last January, having been a Government whip from July 2016.

Among his activities as a minister he led the Government's response to findings of the Hampton-Alexander Review into gender equality at the top of business, while he also launched a campaign to encourage more fathers to take paternity leave.

Additional reporting by PA.