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MPs were expected to pass an amendment which called for the revocation of an amendment to delay the suspension of Owen Paterson. The amendment caused outrage and sparked the Westminster sleaze row but as deputy speaker, Nigel Evans, called out the motion, a shout of “objection” was heard. Mr Evans then asked Sir Bill Cash if he still wished to move a point of order on the amendment.
Sir Bill declined before the deputy speaker said: “It will now be up to the Government to reprogramme that particular motion.”
The amendment put forward by Tory MPs, and supported by the Government, not only called for the suspension to be delayed but for a new committee to be created.
Following the outrage sparked by the amendment, the Prime Minister admitted the Government could have handled the vote in a better way.
He said: “I think things could certainly have been handled better, let me put it that way, by me.”
Prior to the vote on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer issued an attack against the Government where he claimed it was now time to end the Tory sleaze scandal.
He said: “We need to call time on the Tory sleaze scandal that has engulfed Johnson’s government.
“Johnson now has a choice: support Labour’s plan to fix this or whip his MPs to vote against a ban on dodgy second jobs for MPs and a cover-up on the Paterson scandal.”
Labour will also put forward two amendments later this week calling for the end of MPs holding paid directorships and consultancies.
The second will relate to the publication of papers relating to Mr Paterson’s lobbying.
He added: “We’re putting that down.
“It’s for every MP to decide how they want to vote on that.
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Mr Paterson was forced to step down after he was found to have lobbied for two firms, Randox and Lynn’s Country Foods.
The two appointments paid the MP over £100,000 a year combined for his role as a consultant.
The Government has also come under fire following allegations Sir Geoffrey Cox appeared to use his Parliamentary office to conduct private work.
Under current rules, MPs are not allowed to use public resources such as officers for personal or financial benefits for themselves.
A clip appeared to show the MP using his office to carry out private work for the British Virgin Islands.
Due to both incidents, the Tory party has now fallen to six points behind Labour in the polls.
According to a poll from Savanta ComRes, commissioned by the Daily Mail, 40 percent of those asked would now vote for Labour in contrast to the 36 who would for the Conservatives.
The poll ran between November 11-12 and asked 2,019 adults.
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