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He cheats on wife, cons his voters and is whitewashed by Commons watchdog..then goes to court to stop YOU finding out
DISGRACED sex romp MP Nigel Griffiths was covered in yet more shame last night-after a High Court Judge REJECTED his bid to SILENCE the News of the World's TRUE revelations of his antics inside the House of Commons.
The married former Labour minister attempted to get a legal injunction to gag us. But he failed and was SLAMMED by the judge.
Even though lying cheat Griffiths took dozens of pornographic pictures of his brunette mistress cavorting in his House of Commons office, then downloaded them on to his computer, he later claimed he was so drunk he could hardly remember the sex session.
But yesterday Mr Justice King damned Griffiths as he declared: "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 Griffiths' shocking behaviour in his taxpayer-funded 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."
On Thursday, Griffiths thought he was in the clear after the Commons' Standards Commissioner dismissed complaints about the MP-without even questioning him or asking US for our evidence.
But yesterday the High Court judge concluded:
"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.
Incredibly 53-year-old Griffiths wants you to believe he has "little recollection" of spending 38 minutes taking 27 explicit images of a woman spreadeagled across the furniture of his ground floor Commons office, just yards from the Prime Minister's own Commons office.
It was such an unmemorable sex session that he also apparently barely remembers, just half hour later, spending another hour and 40 minutes taking a futher 44 pictures at a second location.
On Friday Griffiths' lawyer David Price blamed the MP's loss of memory about the Remembrance Day romp on being "under the influence of alcohol". But at one point he had recollected enough to create the time to transfer those 71 snaps from his camera to his laptop.
The MP's outrageous behaviour around midnight on November 11-the 90th anniversary of the signing of the First World War armistice-is clearly a blatant breach of the strict Parliamentary Code of Conduct in which Paragraph 15 says:
"Members shall at all times conduct themselves in a manner which will tend to maintain and strengthen the public's trust and confidence in the integrity of Parliament and never undertake any action which would bring the House of Commons, or its Members generally, into disrepute."
What the judge said
"I accept there is a legitimate interest of the public in the way MPs use access to offices they get as a result of their public office.
"There is a right to prevent the public from being significantly mislead."
Griffiths himself even admitted on the day of our scoop: "I am ashamed my conduct fell below acceptable standards. I have little recollection of the evening, but that doesn't make it right."
As a high-ranking MP with 22 years representing Edinburgh South-including two spells in government as Under Secretary of State at the Department for Trade and Industry AND two years as Deputy Leader of the House-he would have been in no doubt about the risks he was taking.
And in a deliberate LIE, he denied everything when we confronted him, saying: "Absolutely groundless! Fabricated evidence! You must have some fabricated evidence! Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!"
Last week the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner John Lyon received complaints from the public about Griffiths' behaviour. But amazingly on Thursday he CLEARED the disgraced MP of any wrongdoing.
Astonishingly this might leave people thinking Mr Lyon considers it acceptable for a drunken MP to take porn pictures of a sex session with his mistress in the Commons.
He spent just 48 hours "considering" the matter but in that time the News of the World can reveal John Lyon:
FAILED to ask the News of the World to produce its evidence.
REFUSED to even quiz Griffiths about the complaints. SNUBBED the complainants by not even speaking to them. Lyon concluded the MP should NOT face censure for bringing the House of Commons into disrepute.
He let the MP off the hook, announcing that he "does not consider the totality of Griffiths' reported conduct comes within the remit of the code, since it relates to his personal behaviour and his private life".
His office added on Friday: "Paragraph 11.2 of the Code specifically excludes purely personal and private behaviour. So that is outside the Code.
"The Commissioner did consider in this case whether in addition there was sufficient evidence of a possible breach of paragraph 15 of the Code. He concluded after careful consideration that there was not."
Nevertheless yesterday Mr Justice King-who has always defended freedom of speech describing it as "fundamental to a democratic society"-said in court that ALL those matters are in the public interest.
And the complainants are furious at the Standards Commissioner's finding. John Wallace, of Edinburgh, said: "I have a question for Mr Lyon.
"Is he saying it's now acceptable for all MPs to have sex with their bit on the side and carry out hard pornography shoots in the Palace of Westminster? If a member of the British armed forces did what Mr Griffiths did they'd be sacked.
"It DID bring the House into disrepute. It's NOT his office, it's OUR office. The taxpayers own the office and he was having a sex romp in our office."
Mr Wallace, 51, a former lieutenant in the Royal Corps of Signals, added: "I'm disgusted that this MP has got away with it. Then there's the matter of the woman. Who is she? Why was she there?"
COURT YOU: MP Griffiths
Accountant Joe Di Rollo, from nearby Fairmilehead, said: "The House of Commons should be a place reserved for conducting serious business.
"With all that's going on with the banking crisis and recession, I think we want to see MPs using these facilities for what they're intended and not abusing them."
Most of the pictures of the MPs Commons sex session were far too graphic to publish. But Lyon made his decision to clear Griffiths without setting eyes on them.
The sex sessions took place on the very day the nation was honouring fallen heroes.
Showing no respect for the dignity of Parliament, Griffiths took his filthy snaps then then engaged in various sexual activities on a sofa.
His companion also posed for further pictures on an antique side-table. One shot shows her in black stockings and knickers.
In a provocative sex show, the woman knelt on the sofa in a G-string then stripped naked among his office ornaments.
The pictures, dated by the camera's digital clock, show the pair cavorting from 11.55pm to 12.33am. Just 32 minutes later, the camera dates them in another location. This time his lover lies naked on a rug in what is probably a flat nearby.
Smoking a cigar and looking at a laptop screen, her dark hair is tossed over her shoulders. The MP also happily poses naked, leaving nothing to the imagination.
The pair then take it in turns to swap the camera and take lurid snaps to record more of their activities. The DIY porn shoot continues until 2.24am.
Yesterday Griffiths' long -suffering wife of 30 years. Sally, appeared to be sticking with him.
The pair were seen leaving their Edinburgh home shortly before noon. Sally came out first wearing a beret, and clutching a tissue.
She got into a car and was there for five minutes before Griffiths hurried out and joined her. They drove off together towards the city centre.
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This article has 40 comments
So he was drunk - she would have to have been drunk as well as not very particular who she cohabits with. Wonder what she looks like - guess it doesn't really matter if you are both blind (drunk). Feel for the wife - but why is she still with the liar/cheat? Maybe she is going to stay and make his life more unbearable. Go girl.
By Richo.. Posted April 3 2009 at 5:00 AM.
Well done News of the World, for exposing this MP
If he can't be trusted to behave normally how can we trust him to safeguard our futures.
Drop him like a hot brick people, he's not worth your vote.
By Lorna Wanstall.. Posted April 2 2009 at 7:33 AM.
Those of you who elected this pathetic moron into high office , should take a good look at yourselves . You also have a responsibility in this sordid matter . Get out there and demand his resignation , ask yourselves , who is representing me and my family values in London ?
By Leonard Arthur Chenery.. Posted April 2 2009 at 4:22 AM.
Citizens are far more important than politicians. They're our civil servants and are in office to make our country a better place to live for US. Everything they do has to be justifiable to the public. I'm glad a judge exposed this idiot.
By nooby.. Posted April 1 2009 at 10:47 PM.
While Nigel's behaviour might indeed fall well below the standards expected of him. What about the behaviour of the person who leaked these pictures to the NotW.
By Mercatorix.. Posted April 1 2009 at 12:23 AM.
Bag him, tag him and sack him!! Give him an ASBO to prevent him from ever taking such a responsible position ever again.
By Stan Moore.. Posted March 30 2009 at 8:08 PM.
if he was any sort of a person then he would quit his job and get out before he does any thing else that we would soon know !!!!!!
By emily.. Posted March 30 2009 at 4:49 PM.
i think it is sick because he shouldn't deny it but yes someone is going to be upset but at least he has told the truth rather than lie to any one who he knows so if you are reading this i think you should do this to if you have ever done this
By emily .. Posted March 30 2009 at 4:45 PM.
Too bad MP's can now edit their expenses claims before they are made public, I bet he isn't the only one whoring around and claiming it on expenses. This is something which is going on in every party, they are all contemptable. If they are not corrupt on entering politics they are corrupted very quickly or their colleagues would soon squeeze them out. No room for troublemakers old man.
By Les.. Posted March 30 2009 at 4:39 PM.
It gets worse by the minute, what would we do without the papers to keep us informed.
By marie lamb.. Posted March 30 2009 at 12:37 AM.
Do we know who this women is yet. Is she an MP or employed at Parliment. If not are they any security implications her been there at that time of night and if so was she strip searched before she left.
Who else has got the pics bribery could follow if the pics get out.
What a plonker yet more Labour sleze.
By Dave.. Posted March 29 2009 at 7:31 PM.
what a lot of fuss about nothing! Are we not expected to have sex on 11th Nov! What twadle.
By Strathturret.. Posted March 29 2009 at 7:59 PM.
Ironic that his memory should fail him so badly on Remembrance Sunday.
Seriously, if he gets so drunk he can't remember, maybe he is not fit to be an MP.
Alternatively, if he views Parliamentary security with such contempt that he smuggles his piece of totty into the offices, perhaps he is not fit to be an MP. Who let her in? There should be a record in the admission lists.
Alternatively, if his hypocracy is so highly developed that he first pompously denies it, then when presented with irrefutable evidence, plays the "I can't remember anything" card, then seeks to get a court order to prevent the story coming out, perhaps he is not fit to be an MP.
There are so many Labour MPs now, who know they have no chance of surviving the next general election, and must be frantically filling their boots while they can, that I am seriously concerned for the public finances. Any party that vows to clean the situation up, and publishes the measures they will put in place:
1. constituancy home is ALWAYS your first home,
2. the Civil Service provide furnished second homes for those who live more than commutable distance so MPs can't do them up at our expense and then reap the profits when they sell them,
3. audited expenses to commercial standards like the rest of us have to,
AND vows to investigate all MPS back to 1997, would get my vote. Trouble is, all the parties are in it now, up to their necks, and no-one is clean enough to do it.
By Dave.. Posted March 29 2009 at 8:09 PM.
any chance of us poor tax payers getting to see the photos? after all we end up paying for them, might be a bit of fun
By f ward.. Posted March 29 2009 at 5:06 PM.
This man is an utter disgrace.He must be very dumb certainly to dumb to be receiving his MP's sallary from the Tax Payer.Can I let him into a secret if his behaviour is as a result of drinking too much alcohol so much so that he cannot recall what he has done then give up the alcohol.What tosh what a state this Government is in for God's sake go New Labour oh yes New Labour the Party without sleaze!!!!
By ian talks.. Posted March 29 2009 at 4:50 PM.
Our leading politicians, to whom we are entitled to look for behavioural guidance, have failed to make the distinction between what is legal and what it right. Finding a loophole to do something does not make what is wrong, right. The very act of looking for a loophole is evidence of intent to act amorally. It is no use saying that no rules have been broken, and therefore the behaviour is OK. Those not acting in the spirit of the law, or not capable of making the distinction between right and wrong, have no place in our society, and certainly not as our leaders or representatives in any government.
This nulabor government is corrupt. The nulabor corruption is absolute, lead from the top down, imposed through all tiers of social and government control, down to street level. Being rotten to the core and from the core, everything it touches it taints. Having neither the ability nor inclination to correct itself, outside intervention is indicated.
By martin.. Posted March 29 2009 at 4:26 PM.
Didn't Prescott set ther standard for public life, as it relates to New Labour, they should change their the name of the party to New Hypocrites
By Kris.. Posted March 29 2009 at 3:23 PM.
This sort of thing happens all the time... I have worked in the City for many many years. All the CEO's are at it, MDs right down to middle management and lower level staff. Private AND public sector.
No matter what profession you're in, people are having affairs everywhere. This man, along with all the others are at it until they get caught Then they lie low for a bit, then go off and do it all over again.
By Realist.. Posted March 29 2009 at 2:35 PM.
how much longer can we tolerate MP's spouting on about binge drinking by the proletariat, when partaking in similar antics in the workplace. At least the object of their derision get drunk in their leisure time and not when they are supposed to be working. Most working people would be sacked immediately for gross misconduct in the workplace.
By Jane Davies.. Posted March 29 2009 at 1:45 PM.
Absolutely Shocking!!!! But what's new???? This has been and will go on for many years to come. On the flip side, his wife now has the chance to clean him out, get her hair done, go for a complete make-over and find herself and dashing fella.
By Ronke.. Posted March 29 2009 at 12:34 PM.
The trouble is his BEST MAN is too busy saving the world! Has anyone heard from him?
By Dr Mohamed Bayoumi.. Posted March 29 2009 at 11:44 AM.
.Surprised No ......... just another Labour sleazeball!
............. next Jaquie Smith and the adult movies watched by husband (who's also her political assistant) and claimed in her expenses
......... McNulty climing for his parents home in expenses
............ the Lords bribe taking
As a lifelong Labour voter, I am ashamed at the antics of these politicians - surely they should be?
Instead it's wriggle and lie - completely amora.
One wonders if more time was spent doing the jobs they are paid to do and less cavorting (in all definitions of that word), would the country be in the bankrupt, broken state it's in ?.
The sooner an election is called the better but in fairness, what chance does any political party have to remedy the destruction and lasting damage Labour alone has inflicted on the country.
They have let down everyone who voted for them, they have let down the country.
By hb.. Posted March 29 2009 at 11:43 AM.
Was Lyon there as well? Does he get up to the same thing? What does Griffiths know that Lyon is afraid of? Perhaps that is why he so readily - and suspiciously - dismissed the complaints against Griffiths.
By annabelle.. Posted March 29 2009 at 11:42 AM.
I am unable to remember when I have ever read of an MP being ` investigated ` by his fellow creeps ever being disciplined ?? It would have been like asking Ronny Kray to investigate his brother Reg.
By Henry Ellis.. Posted March 29 2009 at 11:35 AM.
Where are the photos.......?
By Skruffs.. Posted March 29 2009 at 10:57 AM.
Election? Is there a decent, upright, honest politician to vote for? Why should I vote at all? Corruption and appalling behaviour everywhere and never enough evidence to prosecute anyone.
By Malcolm Hickling.. Posted March 29 2009 at 10:44 AM.
So this is who we vote in to run our country?
No wonder its in such a damn mess.....sack him - any one of us would lose our jobs.
His wife is crazy she should walk away with everything
By Lilly.. Posted March 29 2009 at 10:37 AM.
11th commandment
thou shall not be found out
By robert.. Posted March 29 2009 at 9:48 AM.
Does anyone connected with new Labour who has skrewed up ever found guilty?
By Michelle.. Posted March 29 2009 at 9:53 AM.
Fiddling your expenses, as most Westminster MP,s appear to be engaged in, is far worse.
Maybe they should appoint Nigel Griffiths to the House of Commons standards committee he is probably as honest as any of them .
By Tim.. Posted March 29 2009 at 9:23 AM.
Both he and Lyon should resign. Typical public servants who think they are above the law and can whitewash the whole sordid episode.
Complete and utter contempt in the "old boys" club yet again.
By Mark, Birmingham... Posted March 29 2009 at 9:15 AM.
Even if his behaviour didn't breach the Code because it "relates to his personal behaviour and his private life", smuggling a person into the House of Commons must breach all sorts of security rules?
By Chris K.. Posted March 29 2009 at 8:45 AM.
Maybe he and Jacqui Smith's husband who's just been caught claiming expenses for porn movies on a subscription channel misheard our cries for an ELECTION!!!!
That's ELECTION boys, not E*ECTION
Get Labour out now, for crying out loud. The most corrupt, hypocritical bunch of mediocre clueless spineless politicians in our history.
By Mike.. Posted March 29 2009 at 8:28 AM.
Will they ever be able to stop sleaze? No matter how much they promise to stop it , they never manage. Maybe these M.P.s should not have such a lot of time on there hands.
By albert conroy.. Posted March 29 2009 at 8:20 AM.
Why all the fuss? Gordon has spent the last decade shafting everyone and their dog from inside the House of Commons.
By Man in the Street.. Posted March 29 2009 at 8:15 AM.
How come the Commons can whitewash this whole matter, this is an utter discrace and seriously questions the intergity and honesty of the Commons enquirey.
By maxnex.. Posted March 29 2009 at 8:12 AM.
If that how he treats his wife , how would he treat his constituents ?
By J.. Posted March 29 2009 at 7:31 AM.
I think there are bigger crimes in the world to be "disgusted" about. He has broken no law.
It all has a touch of the "I was so shocked I almost dropped my binoculars" about it.
So he gets he leg over in the office...how many times does that happen every day up and down the UK.
By Danny.. Posted March 29 2009 at 6:36 AM.
the behaviour of this vile beast disgusts me. bringing shame upon the integrity of his office is bad enough, but the way in which he did this, through adulterous actions, and then glossing over them by claiming he was too drunk to remember shows him also as a supreme coward. this beast should be kicked out of office immediately.
By tim blayzak.. Posted March 29 2009 at 4:06 AM.
This man is a sleazebag. If he had any pride or integrity, he would resign.
By john.. Posted March 29 2009 at 12:31 AM.