Owen Paterson, a victim of Scandal, quit yesterday his lucrative consultancy job amid an intensifying row about his roles.
The disgraced former Cabinet minister announced he was ‘stepping aside’ from his consultancy roles with a health firm and a sausage manufacturer after he was found to have lobbied ministers and officials on their behalf.
However, despite having to resign as MP and stand aside this week due to his job, Downing Street did not rule out that he could be awarded a peerage.
Mr Paterson, Northern Ireland secretary and environment secretary under the Coalition, had been paid £100,000 a year for 16 hours’ work each month advising Randox Laboratories since 2015, plus £12,000 a year for 24 hours a year by Lynn’s Country Foods for the past five years.
The 65-year-old, whose wife Rose took her own life last year, wrote online: ‘Thank you to the manDr Py people who have sent their kind wishes to me and my family this week.
‘At this difficult time, I will be stepping aside from my current consultancy work to focus on my family and suicide prevention.’
It’s understood that he made the decision to retire from his job, and wasn’t forced out. Lynn’s declined to comment while Randox said: ‘Randox acknowledge Mr Paterson’s wish at this difficult time to step aside from his consultancy work to focus on his family and suicide prevention.
‘We wish Owen and his family well in their future endeavours.’
The Standards Commissioner investigation that ended his career found Mr Paterson had breached the ban on ‘paid advocacy’ – lobbying – by contacting the Food Standards Agency three times on behalf of Randox and approaching aid ministers four times to promote its blood tests.
Owen Paterson (right) with Dr Peter FitzGerald. Mr Paterson had been paid £100,000 a year for 16 hours’ work each month advising Randox Laboratories since 2015
He also used his Commons office 25 times for business meetings with both Randox and Lynn’s.
The inquiry didn’t consider Randox’s meeting with Randox, who was also responsible for Covid supplies during the outbreak.
The call was held with Lord Bethell in April of last year. This occurred shortly after the company won its first Covid contract.
Government sources said at the time it was merely a ‘courtesy call’ from the minister after the contract had been signed.
The Standards Commissioner investigation that ended his career found Mr Paterson had breached the ban on ‘paid advocacy’
Downing Street has refused to exclude the possibility that Mr Paterson could be awarded a peerage, despite him having to quit his job and step down as MP.
Last autumn, Randox was awarded a £347million contract for coronavirus testing services.
Yesterday, No. 10 left it open for Mr Paterson to be awarded a seat at the House of Lords.
Asked about claims he could get a peerage, the Prime Minister’s spokesman would only say: ‘There’s obviously a formal process for peerages.’
According to sources, Boris Johnson didn’t discuss the issue with Mr Paterson during a telephone call that they had after Johnson decided to resign as MP.
No 10 refused to answer whether MPs were warned that they might lose funding to their constituents if they vote against the plan to save Mr Paterson from being expelled from the Commons.