Nadhim Zahawi: 'The PM has always been clear that paid lobbying is wrong'
5 November 2021, 09:27
Nadhim Zahawi: PM has always been clear that paid lobbying is wrong'
This is the moment Nadhim Zahawi told LBC that Prime Minister Boris Johnson "has always been clear that paid lobbying is wrong".
The Education Secretary made the remark while speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari after Owen Paterson resigned as an MP amid a lobbying row.
Prior to resigning as an MP, Mr Paterson was found by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to have broken lobbying rules and a six-week suspension was recommended.
However, after Mr Paterson was found to have breached the rules, MPs voted to have a review of the Parliamentary disciplinary system - a decision the Government U-turned on after a backlash.
Mr Paterson quit as an MP hours after the U-turn.
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Mr Zahawi told Nick: "The Prime Minister has always been clear that paid lobbying is wrong.
"I think it's worth just putting that on record.
"I think the mistake - and I think it was quite right for the Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg, upon reflection, to return to the house yesterday and explain that - actually, the drive to try to create a better and fairer system with a right of appeal should not have been conflated with a specific case involving Owen Paterson, and that was the mistake and I think it's right, when you reflect, that you act quickly... and correct it."
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