Oh, Christopher Chope. No, that’s not a Conservative twist on the infamous pro-Jeremy Corbyn chant. Rather, it’s the sound of thousands of women groaning wearily across the land, as they hear about the latest risible antics of the really quite tiresome Tory MP.

The last we heard of Chope, the 71-year-old backbencher was defending himself against claims of sexism and sleaze after he single-handedly blocked a private members’ bill that would have made upskirting illegal. Now, the MP for Christchurch in Dorset is in the headlines again, after obstructing a plan to hold a global women’s conference in the House of Commons.

In a scene that must be becoming rather familiar for Chope, the MP faced shouts of “shame” from his fellow politicians after he objected to a motion that would have allowed the venue to be used for the Women MPs of the World conference later this year.

The motion said the conference was intended to celebrate the centenary of partial women’s suffrage, and would provide “a unique opportunity to gather parliamentarians from across the world to engage in discussions about equal representation and bring about social change”. It was read out on Monday night (16 July), and could have passed immediately if no MPs opposed it. Enter, with the dismal inevitability of your toast landing on the floor jam side down, Chope.

The Tory MP who blocked the upskirting bill is back to his old tricks