LONDON, Dec 9 — A British lawmaker snapped playing the Candy Crush Saga children’s game on his tablet during a pensions debate apologised yesterday, saying his conduct was unbecoming for a member of parliament.
In a picture published by The Sun newspaper, Nigel Mills was seen engaging in the popular pastime by swiping his tablet to make lines of sweets explode.
The Conservative lawmaker initially brushed off the controversy, telling the paper: “There was a bit of the meeting I wasn’t focusing on and I probably had a game or two”.
But he was later forced into a fuller climbdown after a torrent of angry reactions.
“I apologise unreservedly for my behaviour at the committee meeting and realise it fell short of what is expected of a Member of Parliament,” he tweeted.
“I guarantee it will not happen again.”
Lawmaker Edward Leigh rallied to his colleague’s side, telling critics to “get a life” and saying of his own time on the public accounts committee: “My God it was boring!”
Even Prime Minister David Cameron waded into the controversy, saying: “I’m sure he will be very embarrassed by what he saw in the papers today and he will work even harder in the future.”
Parliamentary officials meanwhile opened an investigation into the pictures as photography or filming are not allowed without prior permission.
John O’Connell, a spokesman for the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “The issue isn’t how the photos got out but why the MP was messing around on video games.” — AFP
