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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Owen Paterson

250 replies

Francescaisstressed · 03/11/2021 19:41

Political parties aside, surely Owen Patterson avoiding suspension and the Tory party changing the rules for the mates goes against the very core of democracy?

When the people in power can bend the rules when they seee fit, and have noone to hold them to account I find it incredibly troubling.

OP posts:
Biddie191 · 04/11/2021 14:10

From my understanding, another reason they have done this is that if an MP is found guilty of breaching the ministerial code, their electorate can push for a by-election to get them out. This would obviously be a big issue (for the Tories) - especially if they also accept the other upcoming and recent breaches by various ministers.
Apologies if this has already been mentioned, I've read most of the thread....
And to those saying there isn't anyone who could have done better - my dog could do a better job - at least she's honest in her acceptance of bribes, and she doesn't give out other people's money to her friends (although her getting in the bin can be annoying...). Even the neighbour's evil cat would be a massive step up

Biddie191 · 04/11/2021 14:16

StrychnineInTheSandwiches @johnestevens
No10 didn’t tell Owen Paterson it was performing U-turn
He was in supermarket when he found out he was no longer off the hook in call from BBC journalist,
@bbclaurak

The poor chap. Tantrum in the frozen food aisle no doubt.

I'd have loved to be a fly on that wall!

BorninShropshire · 04/11/2021 14:21

Jackie Weaver lives in Prees, North Shropshire, I'm sure she'd do a much better job representing us!

Thecurliestwurly · 04/11/2021 14:23

Yes OP, it is a bad sign. It is quite telling that they would do this. I wonder what they all have to hide.

I think they have realised that nobody trusts politicians anymore so they may as well throw integrity on the fire and do what they want.

jgw1 · 04/11/2021 14:25

@Biddie191

From my understanding, another reason they have done this is that if an MP is found guilty of breaching the ministerial code, their electorate can push for a by-election to get them out. This would obviously be a big issue (for the Tories) - especially if they also accept the other upcoming and recent breaches by various ministers. Apologies if this has already been mentioned, I've read most of the thread.... And to those saying there isn't anyone who could have done better - my dog could do a better job - at least she's honest in her acceptance of bribes, and she doesn't give out other people's money to her friends (although her getting in the bin can be annoying...). Even the neighbour's evil cat would be a massive step up
A recall petition would automatically be triggered if an MP was suspended by the Standards committee for at least 10 sitting days. 10% of the constituents would then have to sign the petition within the timeframe to trigger a by election. I would suggest if Paterson had just quietly served his time his constituents might not have noticed, as it is it has be front page news for several days, they may be more minded to sign if the need arises.
ChicCroissant · 04/11/2021 14:37

@ginghamstarfish

Having just read that his wife took her own life because of the scandal, just read that he said he would 'do it all again'. How lovely.
If Paterson had shown just a smidge of humility or gratitude for the vote this morning, there may have been less of a furore about it. But no. The sense of entitlement is staggering, and I bet Johnson does the same the next time he's in front of the Committee as well.
Threewheeler1 · 04/11/2021 14:38

So Paterson resigns as an MP but will remain a public servant 'outside the cruel world of politics'. Seems to me he had a good run and benefited quite nicely from politics. If he cared to look, he'd find the world outside the Westminster bubble is incredibly cruel for millions of people under a tory government.

jgw1 · 04/11/2021 14:38

I wonder how Kwasi Kwarteng feels after his mauling on the radio this morning.
Or is it just part of the job to trot out the party line and defend the indefensible?

kirinm · 04/11/2021 14:40

"cruel world of politics". He still can't show any remorse whatsoever. Goodbye, nobody cares.

jgw1 · 04/11/2021 14:40

@Threewheeler1

So Paterson resigns as an MP but will remain a public servant 'outside the cruel world of politics'. Seems to me he had a good run and benefited quite nicely from politics. If he cared to look, he'd find the world outside the Westminster bubble is incredibly cruel for millions of people under a tory government.
The question is will enough people keep putting pressure on their MPs about how they voted yesterday and remember it when they next go to the ballot box.
jgw1 · 04/11/2021 14:43

@kirinm

"cruel world of politics". He still can't show any remorse whatsoever. Goodbye, nobody cares.
It is only cruel because those in his party choose to make it so. By living off the division and hate that they stir up.
bigbluebus · 04/11/2021 14:51

Jackie Weaver does indeed live in Owen Paterson's (now former) constituency - at least she did at the time of the great Handforth PC debacle.
So glad OP has gone. He has 'served' my constituency for as long as I've lived here and I can't think of a single good thing he's done for us. In fact on occasions I've written to him he has either a) done nothing with his 'all in it together' attitude - I don't think so! Or b) forward the letter to the very people at the council whom I had already written to and was getting nowhere with.
My only disappointment is that they will no doubt have some other odious creature lined up ready to take his place. I can only dream of the day that N. Shropshire isn't a Tory seat.

Threewheeler1 · 04/11/2021 14:55

@bigbluebus

Jackie Weaver does indeed live in Owen Paterson's (now former) constituency - at least she did at the time of the great Handforth PC debacle. So glad OP has gone. He has 'served' my constituency for as long as I've lived here and I can't think of a single good thing he's done for us. In fact on occasions I've written to him he has either a) done nothing with his 'all in it together' attitude - I don't think so! Or b) forward the letter to the very people at the council whom I had already written to and was getting nowhere with. My only disappointment is that they will no doubt have some other odious creature lined up ready to take his place. I can only dream of the day that N. Shropshire isn't a Tory seat.
I know that feeling. My MP is Mogg and it seems we'll never get him out. I could weep.
TokyoSushi · 04/11/2021 14:56

His attitude is disgraceful so 'poor me' and how he is very much the victim of this terrible injustice. As far as I can see, none of this would have happened if he hadn't been making an absolute fortune by clearly breaching the rules. This is not something that has happened to him, it's something entirely of his own making.

A shameful 24 hours for the Conservatives, and they'll likely pull further ahead in the polls as a result.

Gingernaut · 04/11/2021 15:04

There are early reports that Owen Paterson has resigned.

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 04/11/2021 15:06

'outside the cruel world of politics'. Cry me a river, Paterson, ya drama queen.

After his taking brazen delight in telling Sky News last night that he didn't regret a thing and would do it all again.

jgw1 · 04/11/2021 15:07

[quote Gingernaut]www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2021/nov/04/uk-politics-live-tory-sleaze-owen-paterson-boris-johnson-kwasi-kwarteng-latest-updates[/quote]
I'm confused. He says he doesn't want his wife's memory and reputation to become a political football.

So when he was first accused of corruption he resigned as an MP and from the roles that made him corrupt and with the support of his family worked to clear his name.
And never once did he introduce his wife's suicide into the discussion about his corruption.

Gingernaut · 04/11/2021 15:09

Yeah.

The man is nothing, if not inconsistent.

Threewheeler1 · 04/11/2021 15:10

Not an ounce of self-reflection. All his own doing but still blaming everyone else. He won't acknowledge that he set his own house on fire and casts himself as a victim. 24 years as an MP, he knew he was breaking the rules.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 04/11/2021 15:16

There are early reports that Owen Paterson has resigned

It'll make no difference if he has; the man clearly has a finger in so many pies that it would be 3 months at the outside before he'd be back

They all remind me of a 5 year old losing at a board game and demanding the rules are changed ... except that 5 year olds don't usually cost us that much

longwayoff · 04/11/2021 15:34

Lovely. He's resigned and bye election coming up. Good luck with your new MP North Shropshire, I dont expect you'll notice the difference really. And, oh look, Mr and Mrs Bozo's holiday was at Zak Goldsmith's expense. Lovely, expect they were pushed for cash with all those new sofas and wallpaper to unexpectedly pay for.

Porcupineintherough · 04/11/2021 15:35

Why do the MPs keep voting to support Boris

More to the point, why do the electorate?

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 04/11/2021 15:39

@Porcupineintherough

Why do the MPs keep voting to support Boris

More to the point, why do the electorate?

Of the electorate who can be bothered to vote, the majority don't vote Tory.
FatOaf · 04/11/2021 15:45

I can only dream of the day that N. Shropshire isn't a Tory seat.

The day that Joey Essex hosts University Challenge.

I used to live in north Shropshire, too. Very few voters in the constituency will vote for any party other than the Conservatives, so the only possibility of getting anyone other than a Conservative would be for all the other parties to withdraw and allow an independent anti-corruption candidate (à la Martin Bell) to run against the Conservative. If the Conservative is sufficiently pro-Brexit, anti-human-rights and deferential to the big landowners, though, he/she will still win.