Owen Paterson, the former Conservative MP for North Shropshire, resigned today amid a furious row after he was found to have breached lobbying rules.
In a statement announcing he would leave Parliament, the MP claimed his late wife Rose had become a "political football".
In the statement he said he'd seen MP's "publicly mock and deride Rose’s death and belittle our pain", which he and his family had found "intolerable".
Paterson's wife, Rose, killed herself aged 40 last year.
Speaking to The Sun, allies of Mr Paterson pointed to a moment at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday. A small number of MPs could be heard groaning in protest around the time Boris Johnson said Mr Paterson’s case “involved a serous family tragedy”.
However, critics pointed out MPs may have been groaning at the Prime Minister highlighting the tragedy as part of his bid to block Mr Paterson’s suspension for the lobbying.
The lobbying happened between 2016 and 2018, before his wife’s death in 2020. Mr Paterson has suggested the way the investigation was conducted may have contributed to her suicide.
Several MPs and the standards report itself have expressed sympathy with Mr Paterson over his wife’s suicide last year.
Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg has meanwhile described Rose Paterson's suicide as a "punishment". He said yesterday: "The suicide of his wife is a greater punishment than any House of Commons Committee could inflict."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had planned to offer Paterson a reprieve by blocking his suspension and reviewing the standards system.
But the plans - which Tory MPs passed last night - were withdrawn in a U-turn from Number 10 following public outcry.
Former Environment Secretary Mr Paterson was found to have repeatedly misused his position as an MP to lobby for two private companies that paid him a combined £112,000 a year.
Mr Paterson claimed he broke no rules and was only highlighting issues of public concern.
But an independent investigator and cross-party Standards Committee disagreed, branded his lobbying "egregious" and recommended a 30-day suspension.
In his statement, the former environment secretary continued to vehemently claim innocence to the accusations.
He paid tribute to his late wife, saying: "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."
Paterson has insisted he remains a public servant, albeit now away from the "cruel world" of politics.
Owen Paterson's statement in full:
‘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.
‘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. 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.’
