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| UK politics live: Tory vote to protect Owen Paterson ‘an absolute disgrace’, says Labour | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Latest updates: Labour fury after Leadsom amendment to stop Owen Paterson facing 30-day suspension for breaking lobbying rules passes by slim majority | |
| The division list for the first vote is now on the Commons website. | |
| It shows that 13 Tory MPs voted with the opposition against the Andrea Leadsom to shelve Owen Paterson’s suspension. They were: Aaron Bell, Jackie Doyle-Price, Richard Fuller, Kate Griffiths, Mark Harper, Simon Hoare, Kevin Hollinrake, Nigel Mills, Jill Mortimer, Holly Mumby-Croft, Matthew Offord, John Stevenson, and William Wragg. | |
| The list also shows that 98 Conservative MPs did not vote. | |
| Gavin Barwell, Theresa May’s former chief of staff, says he expects Labour to boycott the proposed new committee that will recommend changes to the disciplinary system for MP and consider whether the Owen Paterson case should be reviewed. We have not heard yet from Labour what it will do, but the SNP has already said it will not take up its seat on the committee. (See 3.02pm.) | |
| From Politico’s Alex Wickham | |
| On a point of order after the result of the second division was called, Chris Bryant, the chair of the standards committee, said people wanted to know if his committee would carry on. It will, he says, and he will remain its chair. | |
| John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor, also made a point of order. He said no MP who was “truly honourable” would serve on the new committee being set up. | |
| MPs passed the main motion as amended by 248 votes to 221 - a majority of 27. | |
| Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, has described the vote as “an absolute disgrace”. | Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, has described the vote as “an absolute disgrace”. |
| Gavin Barwell, a Tory peer and former MP, who was chief of staff to Theresa May when she was prime minister, says this is a “terrible” outcome for parliament. | Gavin Barwell, a Tory peer and former MP, who was chief of staff to Theresa May when she was prime minister, says this is a “terrible” outcome for parliament. |
| There are currently 361 Conservative MPs. The result of the vote suggests that more than 100 failed to vote for the Andrea Leadsom amendment – despite being whipped to do so. Some of those will be authorised absences, but most of those are probably deliberate abstentions. | |
| Abstaining on a three-line whip is a form of rebellion – although it is not as serious as actually voting for the other side. | |
| MPs are now voting for the main motion, as amended. | MPs are now voting for the main motion, as amended. |
| The opposition has pushed for a division - although if this vote were to be lost, Owen Paterson would get away with no punishment at all. | The opposition has pushed for a division - although if this vote were to be lost, Owen Paterson would get away with no punishment at all. |
| MPs have voted for the Leadsom amendment, that will shelve the plan to suspend Owen Paterson from the Commons for 30 days for breaking the rule banning paid lobbying, by 250 votes to 232. That’s a majority of just 18. Normally Boris Johnson has a working majority of 79. | MPs have voted for the Leadsom amendment, that will shelve the plan to suspend Owen Paterson from the Commons for 30 days for breaking the rule banning paid lobbying, by 250 votes to 232. That’s a majority of just 18. Normally Boris Johnson has a working majority of 79. |
| From the Times’ Steven Swinford | From the Times’ Steven Swinford |
| My colleague Aubrey Allegretti has also been told Tory MPs are already getting emails from angry constituents about this vote. | My colleague Aubrey Allegretti has also been told Tory MPs are already getting emails from angry constituents about this vote. |
| MPs are now voting on the Leadsom amendment. | MPs are now voting on the Leadsom amendment. |
| Bryant says changing the rules at the last moment to benefit an individual is the very definition of injustice. | Bryant says changing the rules at the last moment to benefit an individual is the very definition of injustice. |
| And he says what is being proposed today is the opposite of due process. The new committee would not be independent, because it has already been decided who should chair it. | And he says what is being proposed today is the opposite of due process. The new committee would not be independent, because it has already been decided who should chair it. |
| He says if this amendment is passed there will be two Commons standards committees operating. He says his committee is reviewing how the code of conduct works, as it is obliged to do every parliament. He says he accepts that it could do things better. | He says if this amendment is passed there will be two Commons standards committees operating. He says his committee is reviewing how the code of conduct works, as it is obliged to do every parliament. He says he accepts that it could do things better. |
| He says the committee did review the facts. But he suggests that there might be a case for saying it should, separately, be possible to appeal the sanction proposed (which would be different). | He says the committee did review the facts. But he suggests that there might be a case for saying it should, separately, be possible to appeal the sanction proposed (which would be different). |
| He says the outcome would have been different if Paterson had come to the committee and admitted he made a mistake. But Paterson did not do that, he says. He says the aggravating factor was “the lack of insight into a conflict of interest”. | He says the outcome would have been different if Paterson had come to the committee and admitted he made a mistake. But Paterson did not do that, he says. He says the aggravating factor was “the lack of insight into a conflict of interest”. |
| And he ends by warning MPs they will be making a serious mistake if they back the Leadsom amendment. | And he ends by warning MPs they will be making a serious mistake if they back the Leadsom amendment. |
| Bryant says Owen Paterson had a fair hearing. | Bryant says Owen Paterson had a fair hearing. |
| He says Paterson was able to make his case to the committee. The session was conducted respectfully, he says. He says Paterson is nodding at this point. | He says Paterson was able to make his case to the committee. The session was conducted respectfully, he says. He says Paterson is nodding at this point. |
| He says the proposed punishment is in line with other similar cases. | He says the proposed punishment is in line with other similar cases. |
| He says Paterson has said that he would do what he did again if he had the chance. | He says Paterson has said that he would do what he did again if he had the chance. |
| That means, if the report is overturned, MPs will be “dismantling the rule on paid advocacy, which has been around in some shape or form since 1695”. | That means, if the report is overturned, MPs will be “dismantling the rule on paid advocacy, which has been around in some shape or form since 1695”. |
| Back in the Commons Chris Bryant, the Labour chair of the Commons standards committee, is winding up the debate. | Back in the Commons Chris Bryant, the Labour chair of the Commons standards committee, is winding up the debate. |
| He says he has considerable sympathy for Owen Paterson. He says he has experienced suicide in his family, and (as a vicar) presided over many funeral following suicides. | He says he has considerable sympathy for Owen Paterson. He says he has experienced suicide in his family, and (as a vicar) presided over many funeral following suicides. |
| He says Paterson repeatedly broke the rules. He says he has not encountered any Tory MP who has not told him that Paterson “clearly broke the rules” – and that includes Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, he says. | He says Paterson repeatedly broke the rules. He says he has not encountered any Tory MP who has not told him that Paterson “clearly broke the rules” – and that includes Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, he says. |
| (It is not clear whether this means Rees-Mogg privately thinks Paterson was in the wrong, or – as Rees-Mogg told the Commons earlier – he thinks that Paterson did break the rules, but that this was allowed, because of the public safety exemption.) | (It is not clear whether this means Rees-Mogg privately thinks Paterson was in the wrong, or – as Rees-Mogg told the Commons earlier – he thinks that Paterson did break the rules, but that this was allowed, because of the public safety exemption.) |
| There is some mystery in the press gallery as to why Boris Johnson is pressing ahead with this vote, when the optics look so awful. One possible answer is that perhaps Johnson has concluded that perhaps voters do not care very much about this stuff. | There is some mystery in the press gallery as to why Boris Johnson is pressing ahead with this vote, when the optics look so awful. One possible answer is that perhaps Johnson has concluded that perhaps voters do not care very much about this stuff. |
| If so, this calculation may be wrong, the Mirror’s Pippa Crerar says. | If so, this calculation may be wrong, the Mirror’s Pippa Crerar says. |
| Sir Bill Cash (Con) is speaking now. The Speaker tells him he has just three minutes. | Sir Bill Cash (Con) is speaking now. The Speaker tells him he has just three minutes. |
| Cash says the committee should have set up an advisory panel to help it consider this case. | Cash says the committee should have set up an advisory panel to help it consider this case. |