Mr Hoksrud, who travelled to Riga last week with members of the Party’s Youth Movement (FpU), was filmed entering a bordello. The two left 30 minutes later and got into a taxi. Footage was broadcast on Norwegian national television last night.

TV2 reports journalists visited the bordello the following evening with a hidden camera and went into a room containing eight skimpily clad girls. The prostitute confirmed Mr Hoksrud “was my client, either yesterday, or last week”, confirming in a subsequent phone call the two had had sex. According to her, he paid 1,600 kroner, more than the standard price.

This latest sex scandal is the third to hit the Party. Trond Birkedal, now disgraced former Stavanger Mayor candidate, was arrested last year on suspicion of secretly filming up to thirteen boys in his shower. He is also accused of having intercourse with a minor. In 2001, Mayor of Os in Hordaland County, Terje Søvikness, had sex with a 16-year-old girl whilst at a national Party congress.

Mr Hoksrud denies having intercourse with the prostitute, but admits to buying sexual services. This has been illegal for Norwegians since 2009.

“I’ve done something that I shall regret bitterly for the rest of my life. It only happened once,” he said.

Deputy Progress leader Per Sandberg claims the Party is no worse than others are, but it seems that way “because the media is after us. It goes without saying when TV2 almost hires a private investigator to pursue a member on holiday,” he tells to VG.

Police are considering whether he should be investigated, and Bård Hoksrud has since offered to withdraw from his political roles.

“This is not exactly a career-enhancing moment for him,” says Stein Kåre Kristiansen, TV2’s political editor.

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