MP Owen Paterson quits 'cruel world of politics' after row over Commons suspension

Owen Paterson will resign as the MP for North Shropshire in order to escape “the cruel world of politics” following a furious row over his proposed ban from the House of Commons.

The Conservative former cabinet minister has been at the centre of a scandal after it was recommended he be suspended for 30 days.

Mr Paterson, who has been an MP for 24 years, was found by parliament’s independent sleaze investigator to have broken lobbying rules during his £110,000-a-year private sector work.

On Wednesday, Conservative MPs – with the encouragement of Prime Minister Boris Johnson – passed a motion in favour of ignoring Mr Paterson’s month-long Commons suspension.

As part of the backlash, the government was accused of “corruption” in seeking to overhaul parliament’s standards rules in an alleged effort to protect the Tory MP.

In the face of a huge outcry, the government performed a U-turn in the row on Thursday with the promise of a new vote on Mr Paterson’s suspension.

But, just hours later, the 65-year-old announced his intention to resign from the House of Commons.

“I have today, after consultation with my family, and with much sadness decided to resign as the MP for North Shropshire,” he said.

Analysis by Jon Craig, chief political correspondent

Owen Paterson has jumped before he was pushed. Or was he pushed?

After the government’s spectacular U-turn following a furious backlash from MPs of all parties, it was almost inevitable that next week’s Commons vote on his suspension would go against him.

With that would have come the humiliating prospect of a recall petition and likely by-election, which even though he could have stood again he would almost certainly have lost.

His North Shropshire constituency is a blue chip Tory seat where he had a majority of just under 23,000 at the last election.

But under the rules on the recall of MPs it only requires 10% of the electorate in a constituency to trigger a by-election. In the case of Shropshire North that means 10% of 77,673: fewer than 8,000.

On reflection, Mr Paterson may be regretting the defiant, unapologetic tone of his Sky News interview after his Commons reprieve 24 hours earlier, when he brazenly declared he would not hesitate to do the same again.

He appears to have jumped before he was pushed, but it’s entirely possible that he has been ordered to go by the Number 10 machine or the chief whip, Mark Spencer.

Despite his protestations of innocence, he has brought disgrace on the Conservative Party and the prime minister and, one way or another, he had to go.

“The last two years have been an indescribable nightmare for my family and me. My integrity, which I hold very dear, has been repeatedly and publicly questioned.

“I maintain that I am totally innocent of what I have been accused of.”

Mr Paterson was last month found by a Commons watchdog to have “repeatedly used his privileged position” to benefit Randox, a clinical diagnostics company, and Lynn’s Country Foods, a meat processor and distributor.

He has continually declared himself “not guilty” and strongly criticised the investigation into his private sector work, which he said saw him raise serious issues about food contamination during his contact with officials.

Mr Paterson has also said the investigation into him “undoubtedly played a major role” in his wife, Rose Paterson, taking her own life in June last year.

In his resignation statement, he maintained that he “acted at all times in the interests of public health and safety” and claimed the current standards system in parliament would leave him “unable to clear my name”.

“Far, far worse than having my honesty questioned was, of course, the suicide of my beloved and wonderful wife, Rose,” he added.

“She was everything to my children and me. We miss her everyday and the world will always be grey, sad and ultimately meaningless without her. The last few days have been intolerable for us.

“Worst of all was seeing people, including MPs, publicly mock and deride Rose’s death and belittle our pain. My children have therefore asked me to leave politics altogether, for my sake as well as theirs.

“I agree with them. I do not want my wife’s memory and reputation to become a political football. Above all, I always put my family first.”

Mr Paterson admitted his decision to resign was “painful” but “the right one”.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer demanded an apology from the prime minister following the Westminster row over Mr Paterson’s suspension.

“This has been an unbelievable 24 hours even by this government’s chaotic standards,” he said.

“Only yesterday Boris Johnson was forcing his MPs to rip up the rules on standards in public life is a truly damning indictment of this prime minister and the corrupt government he leads.

“Boris Johnson must now apologise to the entire country for this grubby attempt to cover up for the misdemeanour of his friend.

“This isn’t the first time he’s done this but it must be the last. And Boris Johnson must explain how he intends to fix the immense harm he has done to confidence in the probity of him and his MPs.”

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