People who take “upskirt” pictures could face two years in prison and be added to the sex offenders register under a new bill being laid before parliament.
Theresa May confirmed that a government bill to tackle upskirting will be introduced in the Commons on Thursday, allowing MPs to debate the issue before the summer recess.
Ministers intervened to curb a major outcry after Conservative MP Christopher Chope blocked a backbench bill to ban the practice of taking surreptitious pictures up women’s skirts and dresses – because of his long-standing objection to the private member’s bill system.
Both his parliamentary and constituency offices were later festooned with underwear in protest.
Speaking during prime minister’s questions, Ms May said: “Upskirting is a hideous invasion of privacy. It leaves victims feeling degraded and distressed.
“We will adopt this as a government bill. We will introduce the bill to the Commons this Thursday, with a second reading before the summer recess. But we are not stopping there.
“We will also ensure that the most serious offenders are added to the sex offenders register and victims should be in no doubt that their complaints will be taken seriously and perpetrators will be punished.”
Upskirting can be prosecuted through laws such as outraging public decency or harassment, but the new bill would make it a dedicated sexual offence.
It carries a two-year prison sentence in Scotland, where it is a specific offence, and the government has already confirmed its support for a maximum sentence of two years for repeat offenders, bringing it in line with other voyeurism charges.
The move comes after peers heard that men wearing kilts would also be protected by a new law.
Speaking in the Lords, Baroness Vere of Norbiton said the ban would protect the “bodily dignity” of both men and women, which would include “kilt upskirting”.
Sir Christopher, who was knighted in the New Year’s Honours list, insisted he was being “scapegoated” and he was merely acting on his long-held principle to oppose backbench bills when he blocked the upskirting bill, tabled by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse.
He said: “The suggestion that I am some kind of pervert is a complete travesty of the truth. It’s defamatory of my character and it’s very depressing some of my colleagues have been perpetuating that in the past 48 hours.”
The campaign has been led by Gina Martin, 26, who created a petition to make it a dedicated offence after someone took photos under her skirt at a music festival last year.
Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines
Brexit: 10 of the most ridiculous headlines
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1/10The Sun, March 9 2016
This wholly false headline merited the first ruling by IPSO (the press regulator) under clause 1 of the revised Editor’s Code of Practice. Clause 1 makes specific reference to newspapers printing “headlines not supported by the text”
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2/10Daily Mail, November 4 2016
In perhaps the most notorious front page of the past few years, the Mail derides the High Court judges who ruled that parliament must have a vote on whether to trigger article 50 and start the Brexit process
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3/10Daily Express, November 4 2016
In the Express’ take on the same story, they manage to incorporate the Union Jack, allude to First World War propaganda, invoke memories of Churchill and, of course, state “Brexit means Brexit”
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4/10The Sun, March 29 2017
The Sun marked the day on which Mrs May triggered article 50 by projecting a huge and terrible pun on to the Cliffs of Dover
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5/10The Sun, April 4 2017
Referencing their notorious eurosceptic headline from 1990 (See: Up Yours Delors), the Sun stokes the flames of the brief Gibraltar dispute, a dispute in which Spain, the supposed aggressors, only joined to note that there was “no need for it”
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6/10Daily Mail, April 19 2017
This headline followed Mrs May’s snap election announcement, which gave the Mail hope that dissenting opinions on Brexit would disappear
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7/10Daily Mail, December 14 2017
In recent months, the Mail has often forgone catchy headlines in favour of rambling rants, this is an early example aimed at Tory Brexit rebels
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8/10Daily Mail, January 31 2018
This headline (?) takes aim at the Lords over their repeated amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill
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9/10The Sun, June 12 2018
On the day that the EU Withdrawal Bill is to be debated in the Commons, the Sun offers two choices to MPs, desperately including all conceivable imagery that might make Brits feel patriotic, which apparently includes the Loch Ness Monster
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10/10Daily Express, June 12 2018
On the same day, the Express lets MPs know what the consequences of the vote may be
She said: “This law change has happened because it was important to me and I realised it was important to so many of us.
“I kept going because I didn’t want to brush it off again, and say ‘this is just part of life’. I kept going because we needed a change.”
