The deputy speaker of the House of Commons failed to hid his shock after Tory MP Sir Christopher Chope voted to block the Government’s U-turn concerning the Owen Paterson Tory sleaze scandal.
The motion was expected to passed on Monday night which would have reversed changes to Parliament’s watchdog on standards and also would have established a 30-day suspension for Paterson who resigned last month from parliament (though he denies any wrongdoing) for breaching lobbying rules – that is, until the Christchurch MP threw a spanner in the works.
“Object!” Chope could be heard shouting in the Commons during the vote that took place a 10pm.
In response to Chope’s objection, deputy speaker Nigel Evans – who the camera is focused on during this moment – looks visibly shocked.
He then pauses for a second before saying “Objection taken.”
The moment Christopher Chope blocked the Commons from condemning Owen Paterson for paid lobbying.
— George Grylls (@georgegrylls) November 15, 2021
Deputy speaker's face rather says it all. pic.twitter.com/n4VXKoXg96
The kind of motion that was tabled means that just one objection can cause the motion to fall through, so now it means that MPs will now have to do an hour-long debate discussing the issue and then decide whether there should be another vote on it.
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As Chope’s objection has only further extended the coverage of the Tory sleaze scandal, it’s fair to say Conservative MPs aren’t best pleased with the 74-year-old.
MP for North Dorset Simon Hoare told the Evening Standard that Chope is “dinosaur who should now be a fossil.”
“It’s appalling, utterly appalling, incomprehensible and deeply damaging. Why he thinks he has this unalienable right to drag the Tory party’s reputation down I just don’t know,” he added.
Meanwhile, Labour MP Chris Bryant, chair of Parliament’s standards committee, tweeted: ““Unfortunately because a single MP objected to the motion endorsing the committee on standards report on Owen Paterson, the house has still not resolved this matter. The govt will have to bring it forward ASAP with time allocated, if the house isn’t to fall into further disrepute.”
Unfortunately, because a single MP objected to the motion endorsing the committee on standards report on Owen Paterson, the house has still not resolved this matter. The govt will have to bring it forward ASAP wit time allocated, if the house isn’t to fall into further disrepute.
— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) November 15, 2021
This is just another of many motions Chope has controversially blocked in the Commons – his voting record speaks for itself.
The Christchurch MP has previously voted against private members’ bills ranging from banning upskirting to female genital mutilation, giving codebreaker Alan Turning a posthumous pardon from his homosexuality conviction, and allowing a women’s conference to take place in the Commons.
MPs are expected to debate this motion today (November 16).
indy100 has contacted Sir Christopher Chope for comment.
