November 3, 2021 - Responding to reports that Conservative MPs plan to overrule the suspension of Owen Paterson MP for breaking lobbying rules, Daniel Bruce, Chief Executive at Transparency International UK, said:

“In the same week a survey by Parliament’s ethics watchdog revealed public trust in politicians is at an all-time low, MPs plot to overrule the outcome of an independent investigation into the conduct of one of their colleagues.

“This would set a terrible precedent and will only reinforce the perception that politicians play by a different set of rules.

“MPs have long drawn the line at elected representatives engaging in paid lobbying, but this requires them to have the stomach to punish rule-breakers – even when they happen to be one of their friends.”

Notes to editors:

A survey of 1,590 people conducted on behalf of Parliament’s Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) was published this week. It found:

• 41% of people felt ministers’ standards of conduct were quite low or very low, compared with 24% who felt they were quite or very high.
• Just 20% of people surveyed felt that MPs’ standards of conduct were quite or very high, while 44% felt they were quite or very low.
• 43% of people felt standards had got worse.