Jacob Rees-Mogg admits blame in Owen Paterson saga in wake of sleaze scandal
Jacob Rees-Mogg has admitted he, and not Boris Johnson, was behind the government’s attempt to protect ex-MP Owen Paterson from facing punishment for his breach of Westminster lobbying rules.
The leader of the House of Commons today said “I encouraged the Prime Minister to go down this route and I was wrong, I made a mistake.”
The saga launched Westminster’s still-running sleaze scandal, which has seen a growing group of Tory MPs accused of sleaze and corruption.
It began when the government and Tory backbenchers teamed up to veto Paterson’s recommended parliament suspension, for earning £100,000 a year as a lobbyist for two firms, and dismantle the palriamentary process for MPs.
Downing Street was forced to soon backtrack in the face of public pressure and Paterson resigned.
Johnson admitted on Sunday night that the saga “could have been handled better … by me” as he appeared to admit fault.
Speaking on his Conservative Home podcast, Rees-Mogg said: “I must take my share of responsibility for this, I thought it was the right thing to do.
“I encouraged the Prime Minister to go down this route and I was wrong, I made a mistake.
“That has not been helpful to government and to parliament, and that’s why it will be reversed.”
The government tried to quickly overturn the Paterson votes last night without a debate, however veteran Tory MP Christopher Chope objected.
This means the issue will be debated in the House of Commons today, before a vote is taken.
Conservative MPs were furious last night with Chope’s actions, with one minister telling City PM that the Christchurch MP is a “deaf tw*t”.