MPs to debate Owen Paterson’s suspension next week

Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has told MPs that they will debate the potential 30 day suspension of Owen Paterson on November 3.

On Tuesday the Committee on Standards released a report recommending that Mr Paterson, the Conservative MP for North Shropshire, be issued a 30 day suspension after concluding that his “egregious” paid advocacy broke his code of conduct.

The MP complained that the probe “does not comply with natural justice” and played “a major role” in his wife’s suicide.

Fellow backbench MP David Davis signalled his support for Paterson, saying: “This system of investigation would not be acceptable for our constituents, as it does not meet the rules of natural justice, or even ACAS rules. I note that none of the 17 critical witnesses appear to have been interviewed by the Commissioner. And of course, there is no appeal process.”

Under a 2015 law brought in after the expenses scandal, any MP suspended for 10 plus days can face a petition in which constituents can request that a by-election be held.

The support of ten per cent of electors in Paterson’s North Shropshire seat would be required to prompt an election in the constituency. A similar process led to a by-election in Brecon and Radnorshire in 2019 in which the Conservative Party subsequently lost the seat to the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Paterson had a majority of 22,949 in North Shropshire over Labour in the last 2019 General Election. The constituency has long been one of the Conservative Party’s safest seats in England.