The Government is U-turning on a vote to stop the suspension of Owen Paterson and change standards rules, after a fierce backlash saw it accused of “wallowing in sleaze”.
The Government won a vote in the House of Commons (HoC) yesterday (Wednesday, November 3), to stop Paterson’s 30-day suspension for breaking lobbying rules, and to change the rules around standards breaches by 250 votes to 232 - a slim majority of 18.
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But it faced a strenuous backlash over the result, which saw Labour leader Keir Starmer slam the plans as an “utter sham”, and vowed his party would boycott the new process.
Paterson, a former Northern Ireland and environment minister, was to be banned after the standards committee found he lobbied the government for his consulting clients, failed to declare an interest and used his office for paid meetings.
Now the HoC leader, Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has today (Thursday, November 4) confirmed the changes will not go ahead as planned.
How did your London MP vote on the Owen Paterson case?
YES
MP’s voting in favour of the rules change included the prime minister Boris Johnson.
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- Gareth Bacon, Cons MP for Orpington
- Bob Blackman, Cons MP for Harrow East
- Elliot Colburn, Cons MP for Carshalton and Wallington
- Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Cons MP for Chingford and Woodford Green
- Sir David Evennett, Cons MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford
- Mike Freer, Cons MP for Finchley and Golders Green
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- Greg Hands, Cons MP for Chelsea and Fulham
- Boris Johnson, Cons MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip
- Julia Lopez, Cons MP for Hornchurch and Upminster
- Chris Philp, Cons MP for Croydon South
- Andrew Rosindell, Cons MP for Romford
- Paul Scully, Cons MP for Sutton and Cheam
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- David Simmonds, Cons MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
- Bob Stewart, Cons MP for Beckenham
- Theresa Villiers, Cons MP for Chipping Barnet
ABSTAIN
MPs who abstained on the vote included Labour leader Keir Starmer who is self-isolating with coronavirus.
- Nickie Aiken, Cons MP for the Cities of London and Westminster
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- Felicity Buchan, Cons MP for Kensington
- Stephen Hammond, Cons MP for Wimbledon
- Sir Robert Neill, Cons MP for Bromley and Chislehurst
- Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Lab MP for Tooting
- Ruth Cadbury, Lab MP for Brentford and Isleworth
- Clive Efford, Lab MP for Eltham
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- Barry Gardiner, Lab MP for Brent North
- Keir Starmer, Lab MP for Holborn and St Pancras
NO
Just one Conservative London MP was among those who voted against the plans, which also included former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
- Dr Matthew Offord, Cons MP for Hendon
- Jeremy Corbyn - Independent MP for Islington North
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- Diane Abbott, Lab MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington
- Rushanara Ali, Lab MP for Bethnal Green and Bow
- Fleur Anderson, Lab MP for Putney
- Apsana Begum, Lab MP for Poplar and Limehouse
- Lyn Brown, Lab MP for West Ham
- Karen Buck, Lab MP for Westminster North
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- Dawn Butler, Lab MP for Brent Central
- Bambos Charalambous, Lab MP for Enfield, Southgate
- Feryal Clark, Lab MP for Enfield North
- Neil Coyle, Lab MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark
- Stella Creasey, Lab MP for Walthamstow
- Jon Cruddas, Lab MP for Dagenham and Rainham
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- John Cryer, Lab MP for Leyton and Wanstead
- Janet Daby, Lab MP for Lewisham East
- Marsha De Cordova, Lab MP for Battersea
- Florence Eshalomi, Lab MP for Vauxhall
- Vicky Foxcroft, Lab MP for Lewisham, Deptford
- Harriet Harman, Lab MP for Camberwell and Peckham
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- Helen Hayes, Lab MP for Dulwich and West Norwood
- Dame Meg Hillier, Lab MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch
- Dame Margaret Hodge, Lab MP for Barking
- Dr Rupa Huq, Lab MP for Ealing Central and Acton
- Sarah Jones, Lab MP for Croydon Central
- David Lammy, Lab MP for Tottenham
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- Seema Malhotra, Lab MP for Feltham and Heston
- Siobhain McDonagh, Lab MP for Mitcham and Morden
- John McDonnell, Lab MP for Hayes and Harlington
- James Murray, Lab MP for Ealing North
- Abena Oppong-Asare, Lab MP for Erith and Thamesmead
- Kate Osamor, Lab MP for Edmonton
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- Matthew Pennycook, Lab MP for Greenwich and Woolwich
- Steve Reed, Lab MP for Croydon North
- Ellie Reeves, Lab MP for Lewisham West and Penge
- Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Lab MP for Streatham
- Mr Virendra Sharma, Lab MP for Ealing, Southall
- Tulip Siddiq, Lab MP for Hampstead and Kilburn
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- Andy Slaughter, Lab MP for Hammersmith
- Wes Streeting, Lab MP for Ilford North
- Sam Tarry, Lab MP for Ilford South
- Gareth Thomas, Lab MP for Harrow West
- Emily Thornberry, Lab MP for Islington South and Finsbury
- Stephen Timms, Lab MP for East Ham
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- Catherine West, Lab MP for Hornsey and Wood Green
- Ed Davey - Lib Dem MP for Kingston and Surbiton
- Sarah Olney - Lib Dem MP for Richmond Park
- Munira Wilson - Lib Dem MP for Twickenham
What do you make of the vote and the U-turn? Tweet us your thoughts at @LondonWorldCom