Theresa May today blasted Boris Johnson for “damaging Parliament” in an excoriating speech as MPs finally U-turned over sleaze.
The former Prime Minister said “damage has been done to all MPs and to Parliament as a whole” by the way the Owen Paterson affair was handled.
Boris Johnson ordered Tory MPs to pass a vote ripping up standards rules to save Mr Paterson from a 30-day suspension for breaching lobbying rules.
Thirteen days later, that vote was finally undone by MPs today - after an attempt to do so last night failed when one Tory, Christopher Chope, shouted “object”.
But the debate was mired in angry scenes in which Sir Christopher told a female MP to “apply her mind”, and Mrs May lashed out at the government.
She said the conclusion of the standards report on Owen Paterson - who’s since resigned as an MP - was “clear and fair - [he] broke the rules on paid advocacy.”
She added: "And the attempt by members of this House, aided and abetted by the Government, under cover of reform of the process effectively to clear his name was misplaced, ill-judged and just plain wrong."
Mrs May was one of 98 Tories who did not vote either way two weeks ago. It is thought she may have been exempted by the whips due to being away.
She said "there was an attempt to effectively let off a then-member of the House", which “flew in the face” of the rules.
She added: "It would be a mistake to think that because someone broke the rules, the rules were wrong.
"The rule on paid advocacy is a long-standing one. The problem came because there was an attempt to effectively let off a then-Member of the House.
"That flew in the face of the rules on paid advocacy and in the face of the processes established by this House."
The Maidenhead MP urged the Government to look at recommendations on how to strengthen rules on MPs standards put forward by a committee in 2018.
The original “Leadsom amendment” two weeks ago - which passed 250-232 - shelved plans to suspend Mr Paterson for 30 days.
Instead it set up a new Tory-led committee to rewrite standards rules and introduce an appeals process, which Mr Paterson - who protested his innocence - claimed he had been denied.
That fell apart when opposition MPs boycotted the new committee and Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has since tried to take the blame, suggesting it was his idea.
The Leadsom amendment was finally undone today, with a new Commons motion passing ‘on the nod’ without a formal recorded vote.
The saga unleashed a torrent of sleaze stories, widening the issue out to other MPs’ second jobs and whether the rules are tight enough.
Labour will force a vote tomorrow on banning MPs from holding directorships or consultancy jobs, but No10 refused to say Boris Johnson would back it.
That is despite Labour's motion following the recommendations of a 2018 report on standards in public life - the same one Theresa May referenced in her speech.
Labour's motion orders the Committee on Standards in Public Life to draw up plans to implement its recommendations by January 31 next year.
Standards Committee chairman Chris Bryant today said Owen Paterson "pedalled influence for his paying clients" and the government had tried to get him off with the mantra: "If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again."
Mr Bryant said he was “completely mystified” why the PM tried to “move heaven and earth” to stop Paterson being sanctioned, adding the government's behaviour was “shameful and has brought the House into disrepute”.
But Tory MP Christopher Chope prompted a furious row with his fellow MPs as he tried to defend Mr Paterson, rehearsing his claim that 17 witnesses were not called.
In fact, said Tory Mark Harper, the inquiry “absolutely gave mr Paterson the opportunity to present evidence of witnesses” - it just didn't interview them.
Meanwhile Sir Christopher prompted a furious row when he clashed with fellow Tory Alicia Kearns - telling her to "apply her mind".
She had said: "I recognise that he is keen to make sure that Parliament has its time to have it's say.
"But we have almost four and half hours of debate on this issue already. Do our constituents not deserve us to focus on actually delivering on those promises we made to them and the things that matter to them?"
She demanded to know how long he wanted to debate the issue, adding: "When will it be enough?"
Sir Christopher replied: "Should I express shock or outrage at what she has said?
"Clearly in the time she has been referring, she hasn't applied her mind to the principle issue..."
His comments immediately drew boos and groans from MPs. Ms Kearns rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air in frustration.
Tory MP and Owen Paterson supporter Bill Cash claimed “not even terrorists and criminals” were denied a fair trial in the way the ex-MP was.
But the SNP's Pete Wishart said there had been “malicious, malign attempt to undermine” the Standards Commissioner and Boris Johnson, not her, “should be considering his position”.
Labour MP Tan Dhesi added the saga had “egregiously eroded our democracy”.
