DmcG:

"A simple, but rather tedious, test would show if this noble desire to empower backbenchers is true or just hot air. "

A tweet by George Freeman MP in answer to whether his action was to do with legal details MAY answer that:

No. He blocks EVERY Private Members Bill on a weird point of principle. Including the really good ones. It’s gone on too long. It’s an affront to Parliamentary democracy. The public want to see MORE powers & freedoms for Backbench MPs - not fewer.

Backwoodsman:

"Don't you find it rather suspicious that he has only now stated his 'support' for an upskirting law, following the outrage his hooligan behaviour brought down on his own stupid head?"

As far as I can make out, the guy has been doing this for nearly 20 years and on the “upskirting” day, he also blocked/delayed 2 other things.   IF this is true, the puzzle to me is one of why it appears to only be this particular one that has produced this sort of “outraged” reaction.

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As to whether his stance (assuming it is a genuinely consistent one) is reasonable or not. At ”first glance”, I’d probably side with Chope.