Porn shame MP was ‘noisiest opponent’ of shechita in Commons
Neil Parish was one of parliament's leading campaigners against Jewish religious slaughter.
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
The MP who resigned after admitting he had watched pornography in the Commons on his mobile phone was also one of parliament’s leading campaigners against Jewish religious slaughter.
Neil Parish confirmed he was resigning as the Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton last week after a “moment of madness” after admitted he had twice watched porn in parliament.
He said the first time was accidental after looking at a tractor website, but the second time – in the Commons itself – was deliberate.
After his resignation was confirmed one leading communal figure said that during his spell as an MP since 2010, Parish had been “Shechita’s biggest and noisiest opponent in parliament.”
Records confirm that in one Westminster Hall debate Parish called for non-stunned meat to be labelled.
He criticised comments made by Matthew Offord, the Hendon MP, who he said had suggested “all the meat slaughtered under the shechita system was consumed by the Jewish community.”
Parish said: “That is far from the point and is not what happens.”
He said of the wider Jewish community’s attitude to Shechita:”They are absolutely convinced that the way in which the knife is wielded does the stunning. I do not believe that to be the case, but that is the argument that is made. ”
Speaking in the Commons in 2014, Parish, who went on to chair the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, cited a scientific study on blood loss, as evidence to “reassure” the Jewish community that the pre-stunning of animals was compatible with religious practice.
Shimon Cohen of Shechita UK, was among those to condemn the MP’s use of a survey on blood loss to attack religious slaughter.
Cohen said at the time: “It may be interesting that Neil Parish feels able to reassure faith communities about what and what is not compatible with their faith – but it’s not interesting to us.”
Senior Reform Movement Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner also added: “Blood loss is not the issue. I can’t see this study will make much impact.”
Parish’s decision to quit as an MP has now triggered a by-election in the previously safe Tory Devon seat.
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