Owen Paterson escapes sanction after MPs vote for shake-up of rules on parliamentary conduct
The Conservative MP Owen Paterson has escaped suspension from the Commons for 30 days and a possible byelection, after the government intervened at the last minute to pause the process and review the watchdog that investigates wrongdoing in parliament.
The former cabinet minister was found to have committed an “egregious” breach of lobbying rules during meetings and conversations with the Food Standards Agency and Department for International Development, while he was being paid more than £100,000 by two firms – Randox and Lynn’s Country Foods.
