Scunthorpe MP votes against amendment to Committee on Standards report

Scunthorpe MP votes against amendment to Committee on Standards report

Scunthorpe MP Holly Mumby-Croft announced that she broke a three-line whip and voted against the Government-backed Amendment on the Committee on Standard’s report on Owen Paterson. 

Mr Paterson was found to have broken lobbying rules after the committee found he misused his position as an MP to benefit two firms he worked for.

According to the committee, Mr Paterson’s actions “were an egregious case of paid advocacy, that he repeatedly used his privileged position to benefit two companies for whom he was a paid consultant, and that this has brought the House into disrepute.”

The recommendation was that Mr Paterson be suspended from the House for 30 sitting days, a move which could lead to a by-election for his seat.

Recommendations are usually accepted without much discussion but on Wednesday the government ordered its MPs to vote for an amendment to halt Mr Paterson’s case and to reorder the standards system.

Labour, SNP and Lib Dems voted against the plans, along with 13 Conservative MPs, while dozens of Tories abstained.

There will be another vote next week to determine whether Mr Paterson should be excluded from Parliament for 30 days.

Holly Mumby-Croft stated that there is a need to balance the ‘incredibly delicate and complicated’ Parliamentary standards system.

In a statement shared to her Facebook, the MP said: “Many residents have asked what’s going on and I’m happy to explain. Beyond the headlines, I think there is a very valid argument that we need to balance the incredibly delicate and complicated Parliamentary standards system.

“It is also a very difficult case to look at on a human level, following the tragic death of Owen Paterson’s wife last year. Whilst I do not know Owen in person, I have genuine sympathy for what he has been, and is, going through.

“Whilst I can definitely see both sides, tying-up reform of the standards system with one particular case was something I couldn’t square. I also had concerns about the retrospective element. Yesterday was just not the right time.

“Oftentimes, our votes are simplified despite the nuances and technical elements behind them. I want to reassure residents that I will always do what I think is best for the Scunthorpe Constituency in Parliament.”