MOST of us had never heard the word “upskirting” until last week although we became fully aware of what it means.

The nasty practice of men taking photos up females’ skirts was set to become a crime, thanks to Parliamentary backbenchers, and it seemed that legal common sense was going to rule.

So, when a single “object!” came from MP Sir Christopher Chope – who has made it his political mission to curb Private Members’ bills as a matter of principle – many people were livid. And that included the Prime Minister.

Personalities apart, there is something wrong with a system that can be halted by a single individual with such a comprehensive axe to grind. This is not the first time that Sir Christopher has stopped sensible legislation and will no doubt not be the last.

To prevent this happening again, some way to outlaw Parliamentary individuals now needs to be found.