LONDON – A British government minister has resigned after a newspaper exposé which claims he sent lewd social media messages to two women.
Andrew Griffiths, who has been minister for small business since January this year, says he is “deeply ashamed” and had resigned on Friday after the Sunday Mirror published details of his chats with the two women who are barmaids by profession.
The newspaper report claims that the Conservative lawmaker, 47, whose first child was born in April, sent around 2,000 sexual messages to the women, including requests for nude photos and videos.
The minister also offered to rent a flat to meet the barmaids for sex, the newspaper claimed.
Griffiths was exposed by a barmaid Imogen Treharne in an interview with the media outlet claiming that she and her friend accepted money from the lawmaker in return for photos and videos.
Treharne added that she was eventually “turned off by his behaviour and hypocrisy”. She said, “I cut it off because it was vulgar”.
“It was affecting my moods in real life. It affected my self-confidence, how he spoke to me. It was constant. It was pestering, it was bordering on possessive.”
The MP sent the women £717 ($950, 810 euros) in return for explicit pictures and videos, the newspapers also claimed.
“I felt like I was being used for this wealthy man’s gratification,” Treharne said.
As the report surfaced, the minister quit giving a statement: “I am deeply ashamed at my behaviour which has caused untold distress to my wife and family, to whom I owe everything, and deep embarrassment to the prime minister and the government”.
“I tendered my resignation as parliamentary under secretary of state for small business on Friday.
“I do not seek to excuse my behaviour and will be seeking professional help to ensure it never happens again.
“In time I hope to earn the forgiveness of all those who put their trust in me and that I have let down so terribly.”
“Following discussions today with the chief whip I have referred myself to the Conservative party’s code of conduct procedures.
“I entirely accept that pending this investigation it is right the whip is withdrawn.
“I wish to apologise to my constituency association and to the people of Burton I am honoured to represent.
“I do not seek to excuse my behaviour and will be seeking professional help to ensure it never happens again”.
