Owen Paterson: Suspension put on hold as MPs (including Harlow’s Robert Halfon) vote for review of rules
Politics / Wed 3rd Nov 2021 at 05:19pm
TORY MPs faced cries of “shame” as they voted to rip up standards rules and block the suspension of a Tory MP Owen Paterson in what has been described as a “grubby stitch-up”.
Tory MPs rejected the Standards Committee’s call for a six-week parliament ban for the backbencher, after it ruled he repeatedly lobbied ministers for two companies paying him more than £100,000 per year.
Instead, they backed an overhaul of parliament’s ethics process, to be conducted by a Tory-majority committee – and Boris Johnson’s party faces allegations it is “wallowing in sleaze” and “marking its own homework.
All Labour, Lib Dem, SNP and the vast majority of independent MPs voted against the move.
Chair of the Standards Committee, Chris Bryant (Lab) said: “I have not yet met a Tory MP who has not said he was guilty.
“I think that includes the Leader of the House.” He warns that if MPs back it “the public will think we are the Parliament that sanctioned cash for questions”.
Harlow MP Robert Halfon was among the 250 MPs who voted for the overhaul. A number of Conservative MPs abstained and a few voted against.
Conservative MPP Nigel Mills voted against the amendment. He told the BBC that voting for it would have been “the wrong thing to do.
“I read the report and thought the process was fair. To try and create a review of the process after the verdict was announced, looks like you are trying to escape the verdict.
“This is very very dangerous territory”
YH will be putting a number of questions to Robert Halfon.
Owen Patterson, the MP for North Shropshire, who vehemently denied the findings against him, could have faced recall proceedings that may have triggered a by-election if the recommended six-week suspension had been approved.
Annoyed
2021-11-03 17:44:42
Just absolutely laughing in the faces of the public they are elected to serve. Appalling behaviour from the fraternity.
Mr Grumpy
2021-11-03 17:56:09
I don't like the rules that stop me doing whatever I want They need to be reviewed!!
JD
2021-11-03 19:30:27
Matt Hancock was found to have acted unlawfully after of not disclosing the full details of the contracts signed during the Covid pandemic in 2020. Michael Gove was found to have acted unlawfully when he awarded a contract to a polling company run by one of his associates. Housing secretary Robert Jenrick was found to have been involved in £1 billion development led by a Conservative Party donor. So now it's OK to be paid more than £100,000 per year on top of the MP salary of £82K and breach lobbying rules. I hope Randox and Lynn’s Country Foods got their moneys worth. How does Owen Paterson find the time to do 3 jobs? This is the same government that has reduced benefits to the lowest paid. This is the same government that couldn't be bothered to provide school children with meals during holidays. This is the same government that has raised taxes that disproportionally penialise the lowest paid. Well done RH, you are really supporting the whole of Harlow by voting to keep your mate in his 3 £82K+£100K jobs and screwing over the lowest paid.
Brenda
2021-11-03 23:13:53
This Tory Government are Blood Sucking leeches feeding off the poor to enchant their luxury life styles. There is nothing but corruption throughout this Government. They are a law unto themselves and they should have to payback all the taxpayers money that they have paid out to family and friends through this pandemic for contracts that were fraudulent. They should be held accountable and MP RobertHalfon should hang his head in shame. He does not represent nor stands up for the working class. He has to Go along with his corrupt colleagues.
Paul
2021-11-04 07:21:24
Thank god the tory's got in otherwise we would of had a corbin goverment now we would of been in trouble. The way the lefty knives come out on this lefty news feed is not suprising. But to balance things abit When can we see blair in the dock for treason?
gary roberts
2021-11-04 07:52:27
Can we please stand to salute our MP for voting for a Conservative amendment in parliament. Forget the substance, the motives, and the integrity elements for doing so because he has none of them. What it amounts to is that old but relevant phrase: Do as I say, not as I do. I suspect when the editor meets him, he will make excuses about how Mr. Patterson was defamed by the commissioner and the standards committee without a shred of evidence to back it up. He is digging another hole for himself and this time "the note in the Treasury" nonsense will not, hopefully, save him again!
jarrett
2021-11-04 09:44:57
If ever we needed another Cromwell......
David
2021-11-04 10:25:51
Whats this got to do with Harlow, Stick to local issues. Not copying National news paper headlines.
Staff Reporter
2021-11-04 10:58:31
Clue in the headline: Harlow MP Robert Halfon was among the 250 MPs who voted for the overhaul. This has everything to do with Harlow as does the other 23,000 stories we have published since July 1st, 2013. Thanks for asking question and thanks for looking. Michael
9 Comments for Owen Paterson: Suspension put on hold as MPs (including Harlow’s Robert Halfon) vote for review of rules: