MPs have narrowly voted to change the process for investigating the behaviour of colleagues, with cries of “shame” after the result was announced.
They were set to vote on whether to suspend Conservative MP Owen Paterson for 30 days after the Standards Committee found he had made an “egregious” breach of lobbying rules.
But an amendment from fellow Tory MP Andrea Leadsom was initially backed by 250 to 232 votes, and then confirmed in a second vote of 248 to 221.
That means Mr Paterson’s case is on hold, and a new structure is set to put in place.
Live coverage of the debate and the vote
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