Owen Paterson

[Mojooo]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59143727

https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/7644...

So Mr Paterson receives £8,333 from Randox for 16 hours work a month and £2,000 every other month for 4 hours work from Lynns Food

He contacts various Govt depts about matters relating to these businesses (legitimately) - but then seems to extend the contact for reasons that would benefit the companies commercially.

Seems pretty straightforward to me that he is in breach of the rules.

He is babbling on that the process isn't fair but if you read the report and his emails it seems clear he was going over and above just raising concerns - he was definitely doing stuff to try and assist the companies in commercial matters.


What do you reckon? Should his own MPs save him?

[Ian Geary]

Having briefly scanned the news article, a judicial process without any right of appeal, or allowing witnesses does seem to go against the natural justice principals.

I.e. the committee are judge, jury and executioner (of his political career at least)

And I can see that worrying some MPs, but not sure it's enough to cause such an unprecedented upset.

As for whether what he might have done might have been wrong? Probably. No smoke without fire etc.

And I suspect it's common that people who have been caught out find the fact they have been caught "unfair"

But that's why any such process needs to not only be fair, but be seen to be fair.

[bitchstewie]

I feel desperately sorry for the man over what's happened with his wife.

However this has something of the usual whiff of "the rules don't apply to us" about it.

Boris Johnson to back bid to overturn Owen Paterson lobbying inquiry

Not the best of looks in the week that a fellow MP (Rob Roberts) who was found to have sexually harassed one of this staff was re-admitted to the party.

[roger.mellie]

As he’s an ex SOS NI I’ve long disliked Owen Patterson for other reasons so anything I say should bare that in mind but seems an open and shut case. He has been found in violation of parliamentary standards and that’s not a problem when Boris is in charge.

[Ivan stewart]

Seems he has come up against tall poppy syndrome more than once ,
also too much common sense for our
New woke worldliness . Hence ongoing witch hunt ..

[motco]

Charles Moore in the Telegraph tells a more detailed story. Admittedly (by Moore) they are friends, but that is not necessarily any more relevant than the payment Paterson receives from his employers for his consultancy. All that matters is the justice of the process and whether Paterson has transgressed. The article is behind a paywall but carefully timed hits on the 'esc' key as it loads can bypass that.

[Puggit]

Hold on... Randox... possibly the biggest winners of the pointless Day 2/8 PCR tests for travel?

[Jasandjules]

Is this a new process or one which has existed for many years?

[rscott]

So MP didn't take up the offer of an interview by the commissioner, then complains he was found guilty by the commissioner "without being spoken to" .


And the other MPs are saying that the Standards committee process they created and implemented is unfair and badly designed...

[Mojooo]

The process could be considered harsh - the report makes the point it is not an adversarial system and they just weigh up all of the evidence without it needing to be argued. However they have argued why they think his witnesses wont matter anyway as they won't be able to change the overall point of what he is being suspended for.

I can kind of see Paterson's point on fairness but the emails in the report are clear to see.

[greygoose]

Having MPs vote on such things seems bizarre as the biggest party can allow its MPs to get away with anything, one rule for them and another for everyone else.

[DMN]

The Conservative Party: We must stick with First Past the Post because it's the only way to hold MPs accountable

Also the Conservative Party: We must do everything in our power to prevent MPs from being held accountable.

[bitchstewie]

What's the point of an independent watchdog if they can find someone to have acted improperly and a bunch of MPs who most definitely are not independent can just go "nah he's our mate and it's fine"?

It's blatantly taking the piss.

[bigee]

bhstewie said:

What's the point of an independent watchdog if they can find someone to have acted improperly and a bunch of MPs who most definitely are not independent can just go "nah he's our mate and it's fine"?

It's blatantly taking the piss.

This, as seen with Patel a while ago.Stinks is the correct term.

[Hill92]

Leaving aside the actual issue, it's shockingly bad politics for the Tory party to try to get him off here. They could just tell him to take the short suspension while grumbling about the "unfairness" and then he can carry on as normal again. Instead they're giving the opposition and media an easy target.

Makes you think that they're trying to hide other cases here.

[sugerbear]

The day democracy died if this is passed. There is no justification other than pure corruption.

[bitchstewie]

Well the speaker has allowed the vote on Leadsom's amendment so you can all guess what happens next given it's a three-line whip.

[Zumbruk]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Yep. And what with Priti Patel wanting to give Border Force dispensation to kill people at will, if there was any doubt the Tories are crypto-fascist scum, they can be be dispelled now.

[hairykrishna]

If this isn't dodgy enough behaviour to get a slap on the wrist then then they might as well do away with the rules entirely and stop pretending.

[bitchstewie]

"I'm aware how this looks" but I'll vote for it anyway.

https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/14558657816...