TORRIDGE and West Devon MP Sir Geoffrey Cox has defended himself after coming under fire for voting by proxy in the House of Commons while earning hundreds of thousands of pounds thousands of miles away in the Caribbean.

The Tory MP said it was up to his Torridge and West Devon constituents to vote him out at the ballot box if they were unhappy with his conduct.

The row has escalated after footage emerged of the MP participating by videolink in September in an inquiry into corruption in the British Virgin Islands — apparently from his House of Commons office.

He also visited the British Virgin Islands to give advice to the inquiry in person, arranging a vote by proxy in the House of Commons on several debates. This work, declared in the House of Commons register of MPs’ interests, has so far earned him more than £800,000.

The Conservative MP has now defended himself, saying he has done nothing wrong and that it is up to his Torridge and West Devon constituents to vote him out if they are unhappy with him.

A statement issued by his office said that the MP ‘made no secret of his professional activities’ as a leading barrister and that he ‘regularly works 70-hour weeks and always ensures that his casework on behalf of his constituents is fully carried out’.

The statement read: ’Sir Geoffrey regularly works 70-hour weeks and always ensures that his casework on behalf of his constituents is given primary importance and fully carried out. Throughout this period, he continued to have online meetings with organisations, businesses and individuals within the constituency and it made no difference where he was for that purpose since it was not practicable or desirable at that time to meet face to face. As to the use of the proxy, prior to his visit to the BVI, he consulted the Chief Whip specifically on this issue and was advised that it was appropriate.

‘Sir Geoffrey’s view is that it is up to the electors of Torridge and West Devon whether or not they vote for someone who is a senior and distinguished professional in his field and who still practices that profession. That has been the consistent view of the local Conservative Association and although at every election his political opponents have sought to make a prominent issue of his professional practice, it has so far been the consistent view of the voters of Torridge and West Devon. Sir Geoffrey is very content to abide by their decision.

As for the allegation that he breached the parliamentary code of conduct on one occasion, on 14 September 2021, by being in his office while participating in an online hearing in the public inquiry and voting in the House of Commons, he understands that the matter has been referred to the Parliamentary Commissioner and he will fully cooperate with her investigation. He does not believe that he breached the rules but will of course accept the judgment of the Parliamentary Commissioner or of the committee on the matter.’