WORCESTER’s former Labour candidate has savaged the decision by Conservative MP Robin Walker to vote in favour of a pause in the 30 day suspension of colleague Owen Paterson.
Mr Walker was the among the 250 Conservatives who voted in favour of an amendment which sought to review the way MPs’ behaviour is policed despite Mr Paterson being found guilty of misusing his position to benefit two companies he worked for.
Following a Government u-turn, Mr Paterson resigned the following day and vowed to leave the ‘cruel world’ of politics behind.
However Coun Lynn Denham said Mr Walker’s initial vote was ‘disappointing but no longer surprising’.
“It is part of an established pattern of behaviour, where Boris Johnson and his close circle think the rules shouldn’t apply to them, and Mr Walker obligingly backs them up.
“The fact is that if the people of Worcester were caught breaking the rules in their own workplaces, they couldn’t expect their pals to rig the system in their favour after the fact.
“I try to be an ethical politician and represent all citizens in my area. It’s bitterly disappointing that our MPs don’t uphold or value that,” she said.
In response, Mr Walker said: “I voted that in a proper process (on standards) that evidence is properly heard from both sides in a case of this nature, and there should be an appeals process.
“Jacob Rees-Mogg clarified this isn’t about trying to intervene in an individual case. I realise that is something people object to.
“I appreciate this hasn’t looked good. This is about making sure we have a system in place that is properly fit for process.”
“It would have been better to have talked about the standards procedure separate from any other individual case.”
Allies of the MP claim the system was unfair and proposed a pause of his punishment while a review of the Commons Standards Committee procedure was carried out.
The government ordered its own MPs to vote for the move however 98 Conservatives including Malvern’s MP Harriett Baldwin did not vote.
Mrs Baldwin was in Glasgow at the COP26 summit and did not take part in the vote as a result.
“I have enormous compassion for Owen Paterson, who has experienced a recent terrible tragedy when his wife took her life,” she said.
“I understood his desire for the kind of fair hearing any of my constituents would receive in an employment matter although it is important that MPs should not engage in paid advocacy.
“I wish my Shropshire colleague well as he moves on from this difficult episode,” Mrs Baldwin added.
