1. THE RANDOX DEAL
Randox hired Mr Paterson in 2015 after he lost his job as environment secretary one year earlier.
The clinical diagnostics firm, based in Northern Ireland, pays him £50,000 per year, rising to £100,000 in 2017.
MPs can accept jobs that aren’t related to their employer if they don’t lobby for it. Mr. Paterson correctly declared his Randox income to relevant authorities.
Randox employs Owen Paterson in 2015, one year after he was fired as environment secretary.
Clinical diagnostics firm Randox, based in Northern Ireland, pays him £50,000 per year, rising to £100,000 in 2017
2. ANOTHER NEW JOB
Seventeen months later, he accepts a second job with Lynn’s Country Foods. Also based in Northern Ireland, it pays him £12,000 a year.
In total he will receive more than £500,000 from these jobs.
3. THE LOBBYING ARTICLE BEGINS
2016: Mr Paterson approaches the Food Standards Agency with several approaches relating to Randox and its testing for antibiotics in milk.
At a November meeting, he spoke out about the high amount of antibiotics in supermarket milk.
The next day, he emailed the FSA, stating that Randox’s “superior technology” had revealed something’shocking.
This will be stated by the Parliamentary Standards Commission many years later.
2016: Mr Paterson takes several approaches to Food Standards Agency in relation to Randox and its testing antibiotics in milk
4. MINISTERS MEETING
In two years, Mr Paterson has made four visits to ministers at Department for International Development regarding Randox and its blood-testing technologies.
This will be later considered a breach of regulations as it was clear that the company could only have benefited from promoting their technology ministers.
Parliamentary Standards found that Mr Paterson had described one of the DfID meetings he attended as’selling an Idea’ and ‘get it done’.[ting]The technology is now in the heads of the officials’.
5. A ROW OVER RIVAL FIRMS
He then repeatedly approaches the FSA in 2017 and 2018, raising what he claims is a ‘serious wrong’ – that another global food producer was mislabelling a product as chemical-free.
He approaches the FSA in 2017 and 2018, raising what he claims is a ‘serious wrong’ – that another global food producer was mislabelling a product as chemical-free
Later, he will claim that Lynn’s bosses couldn’t have benefited because the product involved wasn’t a direct competitor.
However, Lynn’s actually benefited from its competition’s absence from the UK market.
6. WESTMINSTER CHATS
16 meetings held by Mr Paterson in his Commons Office since October 2016 regarding his outside business interests.
He will insist that his business interests were kept separate from his role in Parliament and that the meetings were held because of conflicts with votes in Parliament.
The inquiry report shows that Mr. Paterson could have used a phone line to host meetings in Westminster instead of making phone calls.
7. HIS ‘MINOR RULE BREACH
In four emails to FSA officials, Mr Paterson failed to declare his interest in being a consultant to Lynn’s.
The Committee on Standards, which later reviews the Commissioner’s findings, agrees that Mr Paterson breached the MPs’ Code of Conduct – albeit in a ‘minor’ way.
8. HEADED NOTEPAPER
The Commissioner’s inquiry also finds Mr Paterson sent two letters relating to his business interests on House of Commons headed notepaper – one in October 2016 and one in January 2017.
In an inquiry by Commissioner, Mr Paterson was found to have sent two letters concerning his business interests on House of Commons-headed notepaper. One in October 2016; one in January 2017.
Paterson has acknowledged this and will ultimately apologize to the Commissioner.
9. WIFE’S DEALE
Mr Paterson introduced his wife Rose – then chairman of Aintree Racecourse – to Randox.
After being founded by Dr Peter Fitzgerald (a keen horse-man), the firm continues to sponsor Grand National.
Mr Paterson introduced his wife Rose – then chairman of Aintree Racecourse – to Randox. The company continues to sponsor the Grand National
Tragically, Mrs Paterson commits suicide in June 2020 following a lobbying row that broke out in 2019.
10. THE £347MILLION COVID CONTRACT
In an unrelated development, Randox wins a £347million contract with NHS Test and Trace in autumn 2020.
Dido Harding, a Jockey Club board Member and friend of Dr Fitzgerald and Mrs Paterson, managed the scheme.
In an unrelated development, Randox wins a £347million contract with NHS Test and Trace in autumn 2020
11. HIS DEFENSE
Kathryn Stone, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards investigates the lobbying allegations.
Mr Paterson presents the only possible defence of paid lobbying – that his actions would protect the nation’s health.
According to the inquiry, Mr Paterson relied on an exemption that he believed existed, but was not certain of its terms.
The report stated that Mr. Paterson knew of the lobbying rules and was guilty of the worst.
12. HIS SUICIDE ANGUISH
A letter from Mr Paterson to the inquiry, which is sent to the Daily Mail days before the final verdict is revealed is leaked to The Daily Mail.
He says the investigation drove his wife to suicide – and presses for acquittal, as to find him guilty would be placing the blame for his wife’s death at his door.
13. A DAMNING VERDICT
The inquiry finds that Mr. Paterson committed an ‘egregious’ violation of lobbying rules.
The inquiry finds that Mr. Paterson committed an ‘egregious’ violation of lobbying rules.
It stated that “no prior case of paid advocacy had seen so many violations or such a clear trend of confusion between private and public interests.”
The Standards Commissioner recommends that Mr Paterson – whose pay from Randox and Lynn’s is nearly three times his annual MP’s salary – be suspended for 30 days for his actions.
The Standards Committee of MPs agrees with the lay members.
14. HIS FIGHTBACK
After the findings have been published, Paterson raises serious allegations about the inquiry process.
He claims that the Commissioner ignored ‘unchallenged witnesses evidence’, not followed “a fair process” and appeared to have been ‘biased against my’.
He claims he was ‘driven by the belief that the Commissioner had determined my guilt long before her inquiry ended’.
He – and other MPs – point out that 17 witnesses in his corner were not interviewed. However, their statements were read as part the inquiry.