Former minister Owen Patterson faces a one-month suspension from the Commons for ‘serious’ lobbying

Former cabinet minister Owen Patterson is facing a one-month suspension from the House of Commons after he was slammed by lawmakers for lobbying two companies for which he worked.

The ex-Environment Secretary broke parliamentary rules on paid advocacy, while serving as a £100,000 consultant for Randox, a clinical diagnostics company, and Lyns Country Foods.

The 65-year-old North Shropshire MP denied the allegation and claimed last week that the “brutal” investigation “played a big part” in the death of his wife Rose last year.

In the light of the report of the Parliamentary Committee on Standards, he today reiterated the attack and said the investigation against him was “biased”.

“On a personal level, the method of this investigation has cost me and my three grown children a heavy price,” he said in a statement.

‘Last summer, amid the investigation, my wife of 40 years, Rose, took her own life. We will never know for sure what prompted her to commit suicide, but the way this investigation was conducted undoubtedly played a major role.’

However, the committee today observed that “in no previous case of paid advocacy has it seen such violations or such clear pattern of behavior in failing to differentiate private and public interests”.

The 30-day ban, if upheld, could also trigger a recall petition to allow voters to demand a by-election in his seat.

The 65-year-old North Shropshire MP denied the allegation and claimed last week that the ‘brutal’ investigation ‘played a big part’ in the death of his wife Rose (pictured in 2017) last year.

The report said: ‘Mr Patterson’s wife took her own life in June 2020. The Committee considers it quite possible that the grief and distress caused by this incident affected the way Mr Paterson was approached for the commissioner’s investigation.’

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards launched the investigation in October 2019 following allegations by Owen Paterson of improperly lobbying for Randox and meat processor Lynn’s Country Foods.

The commissioner found that the North Shropshire MP had violated a rule prohibiting payment advocacy in the Food Standards Agency related to Randox in November 2016 and 2017 and the MPs’ Code of Conduct in creating three approaches to testing antibiotics in milk .

He was found to have violated the rule making seven approaches to the same agency for Lynn’s Country Foods between November 2017 and July 2018 and four approaches to the Department of International Development’s ministers related to randox and blood-testing technology in October 2016 Was. January 2017.

He also violated the Code of Conduct on Declarations of Interest by failing to declare his role as Lynn’s payments consultant in four emails to the Food Standards Agency between November 2016 and January 2018.

Mr Patterson spoke to Parliamentary facilities by using his Parliamentary Office for business meetings with clients on 25 occasions between October 2016 and February 2020, and in October 2016 and January by sending two letters related to business interests on House of Commons-led notepapers. Violated the Code on Use. 2017.

After analyzing the commissioner’s findings, the Standards Committee recommended that he be suspended for 30 days.

Its report stated: ‘The Committee found that Mr Patterson’s actions were a serious case of paid advocacy, that he repeatedly used his privileges to benefit two companies for which he was a paid consultant, And this brought disrepute to the House.