A Conservative MP has revealed why he swapped the House of Commons for a wrestling ring in defence of his home city.
Paul Bristow, the MP for Peterborough, explained to Sky News how he chose to take on a “loud mouth bully” following a Twitter spat.
The 40-year-old entered the ring with Joey Scott last Friday night after taking offence to comments made on the professional wrestler’s Twitter page.
The MP took on professional wrestler Joey Scott
Scott had claimed it was time to “make Peterborough interesting” ahead of his appearance in the Cambridgeshire city, to which Mr Bristow responded: “Peterborough was interesting before you ever turned up, pal.
“I was elected by the people to deal with bullies like you. I might just show you why!”
And so the MP, newly elected to parliament at December’s general election, grappled with Scott at New Theatre Peterborough.
Mr Bristow took some blows from Scott in the ring, but had the last laugh thanks to the help of Scott’s rival wrestler Alan Lee Travis.
The MP told Sky News: “I was celebrating the fact that LDN Wrestling, a wrestling promotion, was coming to my constituency.
“When I chose to do that, this loud-mouth bully Joey Scott thought he’d try and make a name for himself by calling me out on Twitter and criticising my city.
“I wasn’t going to have that so I called him out and met him in the wrestling ring.
“Peterborough was interesting way before Joey Scott showed up and I made that clear.
“The people of Peterborough stand up to bullies and the people of Peterborough are proud of their city and I wanted to make that clear in the wrestling ring.”
The politician came out on top thanks to the help of another wrestler
Mr Bristow vowed to continue standing up for Peterborough during his time as the city’s MP, which he described as “the best job I’m ever going to have”.
He added: “There’s a lot to do and a lot of challenges to face, but I’m enjoying each and every minute of it – whether that’s in the Commons talking about some of the issues that affects my city, or if that’s in Peterborough and sometimes in the wrestling ring.”
