One of Boris Johnson’s MPs, Owen Paterson MP, was found to have taken hundreds of thousands of pounds from a company and then sought to influence ministers to benefit those that were paying him. An independent committee ruled that he should face sanction. He should have apologised and taken his punishment. Instead, the Conservatives voted to scrap the Committee that found him guilty.
Imagine if that happened in any workplace across the country – someone is shown to have acted improperly – but instead of facing disciplinary action, the boss intervened and said, “don’t worry, we’ll get rid of the HR department instead.”
Following immense backlash, the Government U-turned and Owen Paterson has resigned. It’s shameless and shameful in equal measure, and the damage has been done.
