Attempt to scrap standards reforms after Paterson sleaze row are 'breathtaking'
16 November 2021, 08:20
Labour MP hits out at government over Owen Paterson report
Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds has said efforts to block a bid to endorse the investigation into former MP Owen Paterson and scrap controversial standards reforms were "breathtaking".
He told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast: "We've had a situation first of all where Owen Paterson, who was then one of the Government's senior backbench MPs, was found very clearly to have broken the rules.
"The Government has firstly avoided endorsing that report by frankly ripping up the rules and deciding just because the Government didn't like the conclusion that had been drawn, it would change the system.
"We now are in a situation where, unbelievably, another of the Government's backbenchers still won't accept the conclusion of the report.
"Why is it always one rule for this Government and one rule for everybody else?"
The comments come after Boris Johnson's attempt to move on from sleaze allegations battering the Conservatives was thrown into disarray when a Tory MP blocked a bid to endorse the investigation into Owen Paterson and scrap the controversial standards reforms.
Veteran Conservative Christopher Chope shouted "object" in the Commons chamber when the motion to overturn the widely criticised attempt was put forward, meaning it could not be approved on Monday evening.
