Tory MP Playing ‘Candy Crush’ During Committee Hearing


Just the word “committee” is enough to send many people into a dazed stupor, and it appears Tory MP Nigel Mills feels the same way, as he was photographed playing Candy Crush during one such committee hearing.

Originally reported by the Sun, Nigel Mills was photographed playing the addictive tapping game Candy Crush during a Work and Pensions Committee session on pensions. After the pictures were published by the Sun, Mr. Mills admitted that this was not his first time attempting to stay awake through such a meeting. He told the paper that he would try not to do it again. Later he made a more forceful apology for his transgression via his Twitter account.

Mr. Mills’ apology comes across as a boy who was sent to the principle’s office for sleeping during class, likely due to the intense coverage in the news cycles today. While the Sun and other publications are busy concentrating on a procedural faux-pas at Parliament, fellow MP’s and even Prime Minister David Cameron have come to the defense of the representative of Amber Valley.

The Independent reported that PM Cameron stated that Mr. Mills was a “very hard-working” MP.

He added, “I’m sure he will be embarrassed by what he saw in the papers today and he will work even harder in the future.”

Prime Minister Cameron has also been on record stating that he enjoys a game of Angry Birds to unwind at the end of the day.

MP Mills also received support from another Tory MP, Sir Edward Leigh, who expressed empathy for his colleague’s position.

Speaking to the BBC he stated, “I would say get a life. I survived nine years as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and I just about managed not to go to sleep and not to play computer games but my god, it was boring! So if Nigel has to keep himself awake by playing computer games, good on him.”

During the video that was shown, it was also clear that Mr. Mills asked questions relevant to his constituents.

While pundits on either side debate if Mr. Mills is an example of a culture that is dependent on electronics to be entertained at all hours of the day, or if he was simply trying to stay awake during one of the tedious facets of government procedure, the issue of how the pictures were taken at all has come into focus.

Pictures, video, or audio taken without permission in the House of Commons is illegal, and subjects the offender to the Black Rod or Sergeant at Arms.

John O’Connell of the TaxPayer’s Alliance was frustrated by the entire series of events, and went on record as stating, “If the Parliamentary authorities have the time and money to waste on this pointless inquiry, then clearly we need to have another look at the size of their budget.”

“The issue isn’t how the photos got out, but why the MP was messing around on video games during the Committee and why Parliament insists on these outdated filming regulations for what is, lest we forget, a public meeting.”

While Mr. Mills will no longer be playing Candy Crush on his government iPad during Parliamentary committee meetings, millions of others will be, as developer King.com states that over a billion games are played of Candy Crush daily which the Inquisitr has detailed previously.

[Image Source | King.com]

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