Cabinet Minister Nadhim Zahawi Admits Mistake Over Owen Paterson Saga

Nadhim Zahawi has admitted the government made a mistake over the Owen Paterson saga, saying they conflated two issues. The education secretary said that creating a system of appeal for suspended MPs should not have been lumped in with the row over Paterson’s lobbying allegations.It comes after an extraordinary day in the House of Commons, in which the government abandoned a plan to prevent Paterson from being suspended.The MP for North Shropshire went on to resign from parliament, saying he would “remain a public servant but outside the cruel world of politics”.Zahawi told Sky News: “The prime minister has always been very clear that paid lobbying is not allowed.“The mistake is the conflation of creating a fairer system with the right of appeal for Parliamentarians to be able to put forward an appeal process.“Conflating that with the particular case of Owen Paterson was a mistake and I think the leader of the house Jacob Rees-Mogg came to the house yesterday, upon reflection yes it was a mistake, and I think it was right to come back very quickly to the house and say we need to separate these things out.“We should work on a cross-party basis to create a fairer system, I think that’s a good thing.“And my appeal to my fellow parliamentarians from all parties is: let’s come together and create a better system with a right of appeal.”A Westminster sleaze watchdog had recommended Paterson be kicked out of parliament for 30 days for breaking lobbying rules.It should have been a formality, but the government instead ordered Tory MPs to block the suspension as well as rip up the existing procedures governing the conduct of MPs. More follows...Related...How MPs Voted As Tories Mobilise To Protect Owen PatersonOwen Paterson Resigns From Parliament Following Tory U-TurnNow Ministers Are Using Brexit To... Defend Boris Johnson's Integrity?

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