Opposition leader accuses Tories of ‘wallowing in sleaze’ after voting to protect MP from suspension over lobbying claims
Keir Starmer says Labour will boycott the commission set up to overhaul the parliamentary sleaze system, after MPs voted to protect the Conservative MP Owen Paterson from suspension over lobbying claims, calling it a “complete and utter sham”.
Boris Johnson threw his weight behind an amendment tabled by former leader of the house Andrea Leadsom, which halts Paterson’s punishment until a new cross-party committee, chaired by John Whittingdale, examines the standards system.
