MP’s ( not Ministers ) are allowed to earn an extra income, and in 1995 the House ‘Standards Committee’ even recommended that ‘a second job’, would bring far more expertise to the House!
So no rules broken by the accused which in this case has moved on from Paterson to Cox QC. except a very minor charge that perhaps ‘he conducted some extra commons business from an office in the House of Commons’?
Paterson ‘s second job was as a Consultant which some interpret as a lobbyist, and if he was ‘lobbying’ on behalf of his paymasters, then that is against the rules – he denies it and apparently his defence would’ possibly ‘have cleared him had the complaint been in court ?
The Government however , instead of asking the referee for a video replay , which potentially could have shut their accusers down, left an open goal by attempting a change of rules, then changing their mind, and frankly this is what lost them the game.
Now , this stupidity has their own fans as well as the ‘opportunist’ others , calling for the ‘manager’s ‘ head.
“ only in the UK eh? ‘