Owen Paterson has announced he is leaving "the cruel world of politics" as he resigned as MP for North Shropshire.
It comes after the Tory MP was embroiled in a row over ethics standards after he was found to have breached lobbying rules.
Boris Johnson’s government was accused of “corruption” after protecting the former minister from an immediate suspension during a vote in the Commons on Wednesday night.
Tories were ordered not to back the cross-party Standards Committee’s call for Mr Paterson to be suspended from Parliament for 30 sitting days after it found he repeatedly lobbied ministers and officials for two companies paying him more than £100,000 per year.
Today, Mr Johnson was forced to perform an extraordinary u-turn following a widespread backlash against plans to overhaul the standards system.
The prime minister promised MPs a fresh vote on Mr Paterson’s suspension “as soon as possible” after Labour refused to take part in a “corrupt” Tory-led committee tasked with reviewing the disciplinary system.
But, Mr Paterson, who has denied breaching the rules despite the Standards Committee's findings, has now announced his decision to stand down, saying he is "unable" to clear his name under the current system.
In a statement, which can be read in full below, Mr Paterson insisted he was "totally innocent of what I have been accused of" and said the last two years had been "an indescribable nightmare for my family and me"
An investigation by Kathryn Stone, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, found Mr Paterson repeatedly lobbied ministers and officials on behalf of Randox and Lynn’s Country Foods.
The Commons Standards Committee said his actions were an “egregious” breach of the rules on paid advocacy by MPs and recommended that he should be suspended for 30 sitting days.
But Mr Paterson accused the commissioner of making up her mind before she had even spoken to him and called the process “biased” and “not fair”.
The MP also said the manner in which the investigation was carried out had “undoubtedly” played a “major role” in the decision of his wife Rose to take her own life last year.
Speaking after Conservative MPs voted for the amendment which saved Mr Paterson from immediate suspension, he said the review into the system would allow him to clear his name after “two years of hell”.
But following Mr Johnson's retreat over the plans, Mr Paterson said he would resign as an MP, rather than face a fresh vote on a possible six-week ban.
His resignation will now trigger a by-election in his Shropshire constituency.
Owen Paterson's resignation statement in full
In a statement announcing his decision, Mr Paterson said: “I have today, after consultation with my family, and with much sadness decided to resign as the MP for North Shropshire.
“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.
“Far, far worse than having my honesty questioned was, of course, the suicide of my beloved and wonderful wife, Rose.
“She was everything to my children and me. We miss her everyday and the world will always be grey, sad and ultimately meaningless without her.”
Mr Paterson’s statement continued: “The last few days have been intolerable for us.
“Worst of all was seeing people, including MPs, publicly mock and deride Rose’s death and belittle our pain. My children have therefore asked me to leave politics altogether, for my sake as well as theirs.
“I agree with them. I do not want my wife’s memory and reputation to become a political football.
“Above all, I always put my family first.”
Mr Paterson’s statement concluded: “This is a painful decision but I believe the right one.
“I have loved being the MP for North Shropshire and have considered it a privilege to have been elected to serve my constituents for 24 years.
“I would like to thank my staff who have worked for me so loyally over many years. I also want to thank those who have stood by me so staunchly.
“I wish them all the best in that difficult but vital job of being a Member of Parliament.
“I will remain a public servant but outside the cruel world of politics.
“I intend to devote myself to public service in whatever ways I can, but especially in the world of suicide prevention.
“At this incredibly difficult time for my family, we ask that the media respects our privacy and lets us grieve my beloved Rose, the best person I ever met.”
The former Cabinet minister said he would be making no further comments.
