Former North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson has spoken for the first time about his suspension from the House of Commons which led to his resignation.
Through a statement issues by his legal team the former Northern Ireland and Environment minister says he is completely innocent of any charge of lobbying.
Mr Barden said:"Mr Paterson did not engage in lobbying, nor did he use his position as a Member of Parliament to secure benefits for any company. He is completely innocent of any charge of lobbying." He said it was clear that the Commissioner for Standards breached those principles – its own terms of reference - in many ways, going so far as to confirm in writing that she had decided that Mr Paterson was ‘guilty’ before she had even spoken to him.
The former MP has been criticised for going to the European court - as a Brexiteer and ardent supporter of the UK leaving the European court. "Our client is, therefore, resolved to clear his own name by the only appeal mechanism which is available to him, which is the European Court of Human Rights. So, on his behalf we have applied to the European Court of Human Rights. We hope that the UK Government will now address the merits of the case.
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