I have no idea if Paterson is guilty however David Davies outlined the investigation and subsequent process which if only half true is definitely flawed. That does not mean he is innocent just that they need a better process.

17 witnesses were refused permission to testify amongst other anomalies and no opportunity to appeal the decision.

I get that the Tories maybe trying to get one of their own off the hook but Parliament / The Speaker need to improve the process.

Caesar's wife has to be above suspicion. If Parliament is incapable of investigating and judging one of their own in an open, fair and honest way what chance of justice for the rest of us.

A flawed process allows the guilty off the hook (morally) none of us want to see that.

One more point

Perhaps I haven't read it.

However any process that does not allow an appeal or for the accused to produce witnesses is not a good one. It allows those who are guilty to shift their blame to the faulty process.

If I had my way MPs would not be allowed a 2nd job they should focus on serving their constituents and not schmoozing with lobby groups.

We can only hope that the Speaker et al look at the process and come up with a cross part agreement to reform it.

One more point

Yes, we do, because he was found guilty by independent review.

The committee is the appeals process - sometimes they overturn the commissioner's ruling.

You can produce witnesses who say whatever you want them to - if there's email exchanges implicating him, I don't see any value in allowing witnesses to go up and say he's brilliant.

Ultimately it doesn't matter; changing the rules retrospectively, or moaning about the process retrospectively is irrelevant - he was found guilty.

As Rayner put it this afternoon "in no other profession could someone be found guilty by an independent process and just have their mates vote them back in"

If you read the detail of this case it's just clear as day what he's done.

I find it nuts that they are. I would be in favour of MPs salaries being doubled and them being forced to give up any other paid roles while an MP.

Owen Paterson received more from his employers than his MP salary. No wonder his priorities were skewed.

This isn’t about Labour. And the Tories have been in charge for 11 years. And this lot are completely inept, corrupt and don’t care about what 60% of the populace think about them.

you get the politicians you deserve.

you think the UK is bad ? try the parliament full of crooks in Dublin. They make Mark Thatcher look like a Saint.

where has nice virtuous heroic politicians ?

- russia ?

- Sweden ?

- France ?

was it ancient Greece or Rome where a leader was automatically put on trial at the end of his (and it was a 'he' ) Tenure in Office.

Kayla did Anfield & Old Trafford