We will make every effort to get MP rules right, says Boris Johnson

The government will make "every effort" to get standards rules for MPs "right", Boris Johnson has said following the row over former Tory MP Owen Paterson.

Government-backed plans to review the system after Mr Paterson was found to have broken lobbying rules were withdrawn following a fierce backlash.

The PM's remarks came ahead of a Commons debate where MPs are discussing how their conduct is investigated.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle warned the debate would be "painful".

However, he said it was important for Parliament to "cleanse" adding: "What I don't want is another dark week like last week."

The emergency debate, which began at 1600 GMT, was granted after a request by the Liberal Democrats who are calling for an independent inquiry into "Tory sleaze".

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Mr Paterson has now quit Parliament and stepped back from his consultancy work, for which he was earning £100,000 a year on top of his MP's salary.

He has denied breaching Commons lobbying rules, and said the process for investigating him was unfair.

Ministers continue to face criticism for their botched attempt last week to block Mr Paterson's suspension from Parliament and redraw MPs' conduct rules.

In his first public comments since Mr Paterson stepped down, Mr Johnson did not apologise for ordering his MPs to block his suspension, insisting the government had been trying to reform MPs' standards system.

"I think it is very important that we get this right... we are going to hold MPs to account. MPs should not break the rules."

'Mistake'

Speaking to reporters, he added he hoped Sir Lindsay would help set up talks between the parties on improving the process.

However, making a statement ahead of the debate, Sir Lindsay did not announce his own review.

Instead he noted that the Committee on Standards were close to completing their own report into the process and that once it was finished "there may be some way, working with the committee, to build on its work".

Labour MP Chris Bryant, who chairs the committee, told the Today programme they hoped to publish draft recommendations before Christmas.

During the debate Cabinet Office Minister Stephen Barclay expressed "regret" for the government's actions, calling last week's vote a "mistake".

However, despite calls from some MPs, Mr Barclay said the government would not hold a second vote on the suspension of Mr Paterson, arguing that the questions was not applicable given his resignation.

Mr Paterson's resignation came after the government blocked a proposal to suspend him for 30 days and review the whole investigation system, before backtracking after an outcry from opposition parties and some Tories.

The sanction was recommended by the Commons Standards Committee following a report by Parliament's standards commissioner Kathryn Stone that found he had repeatedly breached Commons rules banning "paid advocacy".

This rule prevents MPs from lobbying for companies - although critics of the system point out there is no general ban on MPs taking jobs as consultants or advisers from firms hoping to influence the lawmaking process.

What to look out for during MPs' debate

Do Tory backbenchers show publicly the anger many have felt privately after they were forced against their better judgement to vote on Owen Paterson's case and changes to the rules, before the government abandoned the attempt anyway?

Do supporters of Owen Paterson and critics of the parliamentary standards commissioner take the opportunity to criticise her publicly?

The prime minister will not be taking part - with Downing Street saying he has a "long standing commitment" to visit a hospital.

Instead, Cabinet Office Minister Stephen Barclay has been sent out in the opposition-inspired debate.

However, there won't be a vote on any change to the rules - so the debate might have few practical consequences.

The row has led to some calling for a ban on MPs simultaneously working as consultants.

Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme whether the rules governing MPs' consultancy jobs should be re-examined, International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan replied: "Personally I think we should look at that. I'm very comfortable with looking at that.

"I have no problem with that at all. Personally I think it would be wise," she added.

However, she said she did not favour a blanket ban on second jobs, because Parliament would "lose hugely" if MPs were prevented from taking roles such as being a doctor or nurse.

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And backbench MP and Tory party deputy chairman Justin Tomlinson said there should be "greater transparency" and "stricter rules" for MPs to restore trust in Parliament.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wiltshire, he added: "I think the majority of MPs have woken up to this, and we will see cross-party consensus on making sure that we strengthen standards."

At the last election, Labour proposed banning MPs from taking paid second jobs, with "limited exemptions to maintain professional registrations like nursing".

The Committee on Standards on Public Life - an advisory body set up in 1994 after the "cash-for-questions" scandal - has also previously recommended a ban on MPs working as consultants and paid political advisers.

What did Owen Paterson do?

Owen Paterson watched on in the Commons as MPs debated whether to suspend him

Owen Paterson had been a paid consultant for clinical diagnostics company Randox since 2015 and to meat distributor Lynn's Country Foods since 2016, earning a total of £100,000 a year on top of his MP's salary.

MPs are allowed to have these jobs, but are not allowed to be paid advocates - using their influence in Whitehall for the company's gain.

The committee concluded that Mr Paterson had breached this rule on paid advocacy by:

• Making three approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Randox and the testing of antibiotics in milk

• Making seven approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Lynn's Country Foods

• Making four approaches to ministers at the Department for International Development relating to Randox and blood testing technology.

Mr Paterson was also found to have broken conduct rules by:

• Failing to declare his interest as a paid consultant to Lynn's Country Foods in four emails to officials at the Food Standards Agency

• Using his parliamentary office on 16 occasions for business meetings with his clients

• And in sending two letters relating to his business interests, on House of Commons headed notepaper.

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