Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Tory MP says he spends an hour in the bath every morning 'just thinking about things'

'One of the greatest causes of stress was the invention of the shower'

Harriet Agerholm
Wednesday 18 October 2017 11:16 BST
Comments
Conservative MP Tim Loughton
Conservative MP Tim Loughton (Rex)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Conservative MP Tim Loughton has said he spends up to an hour in the bath every morning "just thinking about things".

The 55-year-old told an international conference on meditation and self-awareness: "I spend up to an hour in the bath every morning, just thinking about things. One of the greatest causes of stress in the world was the invention of the shower."

He admitted his lengthy ablutions were not cheap, but insisted they were necessary to maintain mental wellbeing.

“It’s like going to the gym for the mind," he added, according to The Times.

Mr Loughton, who has been an MP for East Worthing and Shoreham since 1997, co-chairs the all-party parliamentary group on mindfulness and previously served as a Conservative education minister.

He came under fire in 2015 for claiming £193,589 in expenses, including £25,854 in accommodation costs.

He has previously criticised film director Ken Loach over his Bafta award acceptance speech for, I, Daniel Blake, where Mr Loach criticised the "callous brutality" of the Government and its welfare policies.

Mr Loughton, a former director of a merchant bank, described the speech as "the usual predictable drivel".

The day-long conference on mental health was also addressed by Ohio congressman Tim Ryan, one of the current favourites for the Democrat nomination in the 2020 US president election.

Mr Ryan told the conference that meditation helped him stay calm when he read Donald Trump's tweets.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in