Boris Johnson's chances of pushing through changes to Commons sleaze rules look remote tonight after opposition parties vowed to boycott talks.
Labour, SNP and Lib Dem sources told the Mirror that they were unwilling to help the Tories update the Commons standards regime after the Owen Paterson debacle.
Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, announcing the Government's plans to ditch its original plans after a public outcry, admitted they couldn't succeed without cross-party support.
Downing Street confirmed that a fresh vote would be held early next week that reverses plans to set up a new Tory-led panel chaired by ex-Culture Secretary John Whittingale.
But Opposition parties have told the Mirror they will not change the existing system - which they fear would let more Tory MPs who have breached the rules off the hook.
No 10 was forced to deny claims that moves to overhaul the system were a "pre-emptive strike" to protect Mr Johnson's own interests from investigation.
And some 14 of the 59 backbenchers who supported ripping up the system have broken House regulations - while more are under investigation.
The decision to boycott talks for a fresh standards process deals a blow to Mr Johnson's hopes of repairing the damage to the Government's reputation.
One Labour insider told the Mirror: "It's laughable. They didn’t want to listen to anyone yesterday, now they have totally f***ed it up they suddenly need talks.
"We’ve set out our ideas very clearly on cleaning up politics - all they are interested in is letting their MPs off the hook time and time again."
An SNP MP said: "We’ll only sit down with them if we return to the situation that existed before they introduced their motion".
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A Lib Dem source added: " Boris Johnson is terrified about independent probes into his own sleaze scandals and dodgy Covid contracts.
"That's why Tory ministers have tried to undermine the parliamentary standards commissioner at every turn.
"We won't help the Tories rewrite the rules to get the Prime Ministers and his cronies off the hook."
Announcing the U-turn earlier, Mr Rees-Mogg said: "While there is a very strong feeling on both sides of the House that there is a need for an appeals process there is equally a strong feeling that this should not be based on a single case or applied retrospective.
"I fear last night's debate conflated the individual case with the general concern. This link needs to be broken."
He added: "Therefore I and others will be looking to work on a cross party basis to achieve improvements to our system in future cases."
Mr Johnson's humiliating climbdown over Commons sleaze rules prompted the dramatic resignation of shamed Tory MP Mr Paterson.
The abrupt u-turn meant that the ex-minister, who had escaped sanction for breaching lobbying rules, faced a further vote to suspend him from Parliament.
As a result the former environment secretary opted to quit as an MP attacking the "cruel world" of British politics.
It means there will now be a by-election in his North Shropshire seat, where the Tories currently have a 23,000 majority.
Mr Paterson was said to have been informed of the PM's change of heart by a reporter while he was wandering around the supermarket.
But rather than face what looked like certain defeat, he declared that he was quitting after almost 25 years in Parliament.
In a statement, he said: "The last two years have been an indescribable nightmare for my family and me.
"My integrity, which I hold very dear, has been repeatedly and publicly questioned.
"I maintain that I am totally innocent of what I have been accused of and I acted at all times in the interests of public health and safety.
"I, my family and those closest to me know the same. I am unable to clear my name under the current system."
Mr Johnson said he was "very sad" that Mr Paterson, who he described as a "friend and colleague", will leave the Commons.
After the public outcry, the PM abandoned his plans to rip up standards procedures just 24 hours after ordering his MPs to back them.
No 10 was forced to deny claims that moves to overhaul the system were a "pre-emptive strike" to protect Mr Johnson's own interests from investigation.
Mr Johnson has been rebuked by the Commissioner on four occasions, most recently over his and wife Carrie's £15,000 holiday to Mustique, although that was later overturned.
But in April, he was reported to Ms Stone over the initial redecoration costs of his Downing Street flat, and it has yet to be announced whether the commissioner will investigate.
In a chaotic day at Westminster, No 10 initially sent out ministers to fight claims they were returning to the dark days of Tory sleaze.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng even suggested that independent Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone should stand down.
A standards report last week found Mr Paterson used his position as an MP to promote firms that paid him £112,000 a year and recommended a 30-day ban.
Mr Kwarteng, emboldened by the Government getting the ex-minister off the hook, said: “I think it’s difficult to see what the future of the Commissioner is.”
Labour accused Mr Kwarteng of trying to "bully" Ms Stone, who carried out the investigation into Mr Paterson, while her friends warned she had faced threats and abuse.
But just hours after Mr Kwarteng's comments, with Downing Street deluged by angry Tory MPs, Mr Johnson bowed to pressure and ditched the plans.
Several Tory MPs have told the Mirror that they had received dozens of emails from constituents who were furious over the move.
No 10 insiders also claimed the PM was unimpressed with Mr Paterson's claims after the vote that he "wouldn't hesitate" to act the same way again.
The Government was tonight fighting allegations of corruption and serious questions over the PM's lack of judgment which has infuriated Tory MPs.
Tory insiders pointed the finger of blame at Tory chief whip Mark Spencer for the debacle, even though he would not have acted without No 10's permission.
Labour leader Keir Starmer blasted: "This has been an unbelievable 24 hours even by this Government's chaotic standards.
"It’s a truly damning indictment of this Prime Minister and the corrupt Government he leads."
He added: "Boris Johnson must apologise for the grubby attempt to cover up for the misdemeanour of his friend.
"It’s not the first time he's done this but it must be the last.
"He must also explain how he will fix the immense harm he has done to confidence in the probity of him and his MPs".
Chair of the existing standards committee, Labour MP Chris Bryant, claimed that Mr Johnson's plans had put democracy under threat.
“That's not what we do in this country, it’s what they do in Russia when a friend or a foe is suddenly under the cosh in the courts," he said.
Lord Evans, head of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said that Wednesday's vote had been a "very serious and very damaging moment for Parliament".
He claimed that plans for a Tory-led committee to overhaul standards would be "deeply at odds with the best traditions of British democracy".
Mark Harper, who was one of 13 Tories to rebel to vote against the plans, said the affair was "one of the most unedifying episodes" he has seen during his 16 years in Parliament.
"My colleagues should not have been instructed, from the very top, to vote for this," the former chief whip said.
"This must not happen again."
