As Boris Johnson struggles to “draw a line” under nearly two weeks of damaging allegations, MPs tonight will vote to repudiate Owen Paterson for lobbying.
This humiliating U-turn will be completed by the government officially endorsing recommendations of the standards watchdog on the ex-minister and scrapping any plans to overhaul the Commons rules.
The Cabinet ministers worry that Johnson will continue to refuse to make a complete apology, something Johnson again failed to do today.
Keir Sterner has put additional pressure on the PM, forcing a confrontation this week regarding banning MPs being paid consultants and directors.
Labour leader John Healey said that Wednesday’s motion would be final and asked the Tories to support the changes.
Boris Johnson (pictured in London on a GP vaccine hub today) admitted it was a mistake to attempt to wreck Parliament’s antisleaze laws to allow Owen Paterson to escape a ban from lobbying.
Keir Starmer is putting more pressure on PM by calling for a confrontation this week regarding banning MPs holding directorships and paid consulting jobs
The government motion tonight will effectively reverse all of the political maneuvering in relation to Mr Paterson’s standard case. It ended with Mr Johnson pulling support for him, and he resigned from the Commons.
MailOnline was told by a Cabinet minister that this motion is necessary to stem the effects of the crisis. It is more likely to be nodded than put to a formal voting vote.
They said, “We will attempt to draw a line underneath it.” It was an error. Even though the PM did not, key ministers have offered their apologies.
“We’ve had it for 12 days, and it has been extremely damaging. It’s not clear how quickly it will disappear.
The PM admitted last night, after days of denial that it was a mistake to attempt to dismantle Parliament’s antisleaze rules in order to allow Mr Paterson to avoid a ban on lobbying.
At No 10’s press conference, Mr Johnson avoided questions on his role in causing the crisis that saw Labour rise to the top of polls.
But he then said: ‘Of course I think things could certainly have been handled better – let me put it that way – by me.’
When asked if he would apologize for his actions during a London visit to a vaccine centre, Johnson replied: “I want to salute both you and all the media on this topic.
“I am here to discuss boosters, and to encourage people to get boosters. This is the most important thing.
Speaking during an LBC radio phone-in this morning, Sir Keir said: ‘We are going to put to Parliament on Wednesday a vote which is going to ask MPs to vote to get rid of paid directorships and paid consultancies – change the rules in Parliament.
“We will put that down. Each MP can decide how to vote. It will allow us to see where we stand on the actual progress of this issue.
As senior Tories were subject to further accusations of wrongdoing, the wrangling continued.
Labour last night called for a sleaze probe into claims that Jacob Rees-Mogg failed to declare £6million in loans from a firm he owns.
Grant Shapps was fighting back against claims that public money had been ‘diverted to lobby against construction of homes at airfields he used as private pilot.
These comments by Mr Johnson were his first publicly acknowledged acknowledgment of his mistake in saving Mr Paterson.
According to a Tory source, he also said that the ministers had made the mistake during last week’s Cabinet meeting.
Tory MPs were ordered to vote through a change in the rules that would have helped Mr Paterson, who was accused of an ‘egregious’ breach of Parliament’s ban on lobbying on behalf of two firms that had paid him more than £500,000.
After a strong backlash, the move was abandoned and Paterson was forced to resign as MP. It has been the subject of many accusations about second jobs for MPs.
The Mail reported last week that Sir Geoffrey Cox, the former attorney general, had voted in Parliament from his Caribbean home for several weeks. He was also advising the British Virgin Islands government (a tax haven suspected of corruption),
Sir Geoffrey, an eminent QC, has earned more than £5.5million from his second job since 2009.
Geoffrey Cox, an eminent QC, has earned more than £5.5million from his second job since 2009
Savanta ComRes Poll for the Mail revealed that the Tory lead of three points has become a deficit of six points due to public reactions to the toxic revelations. Yesterday’s Opinium poll by the Observer also showed Labour leading, but only one point.
Yesterday Mr Johnson declared that it is very important all MPs serve their constituents first, foremost, and lastly. Anyone who lobbying for a commercial interest is in clear violation of these rules.
“All MPs must follow the rules. I believe the rules were created to protect them and the public. They are very easy to comprehend, so we can just move on.
Kathryn Stone (Parliamentary Standards Commissioner) also supported him. Stone is looking into whether it would be possible to find out who was responsible for redecorating Downing Street’s flat. She had “a lot of work ahead” and needed to be allowed to finish it.
Labour yesterday called for Ms Stone’s investigation of reports that the Mail Sunday reported Mr Rees Mogg did not declare director’s loan from Saliston Limited between 2018, and 2020.
Mr Rees-Mogg said the loans, totalling £6million, were used ‘primarily’ for the purchase and refurbishment of his £5.6million home in Westminster. Saliston was also ‘100 percent owned by me,’ and the relationship was declared.
The liaison committee will grill Johnson on Wednesday about his sleaze scandal.