Should Owen Paterson be given a peerage?

Whitewavemark2

Kali2

Surely even Johnson could not even think of doing that!

Want to bet on it??

Ah well, you are probably right, thinking of it

By Elmira Tanatarova For Mailonline
20:30 GMT 06 Nov 2021 , updated 20:45 GMT 06 Nov 2021
* The Tories have been accused of rewarding millionaire donors with peerage
* A new investigation showed 16 of the party's main treasurers were offered a seat
* Former Tory ministers have called the alleged practice a 'scandal in plain sight'
The Conservative Party has been accused of guaranteeing peerages to a group of multi-millionaires who have donated more than £3 million to the party.
Wealthy backers who take on the temporary role of party treasurer appear to be offered a seat in the House of Lords once they have donated the set figure.
All 16 of the Conservatives' main treasurers, excluding the most recent, were offered a seat in the Lords in the past two decades including Peter Cruddas, Lord Spencer, Lord Fraser, Lord Lupton and Lord Farmer.
According to the investigation by The Sunday Times and Open Democracy, six former Tory ministers felt uneasy about the practice, some calling it a 'scandal'.
One ex-party chairman said: 'The truth is the entire political establishment knows this happens and they do nothing about it...The most telling line is once you pay your £3 million, you get your peerage.'
Another former minister called it a 'scandal in plain sight' whilst another alleged that 'a law of omerta' silences anyone from discussions of a link between donations and seats.
Peter Cruddas's peerage was pushed through by Boris Johnson despite the Lords appointments commissions' recommendation.
One of its members told the investigation the decision 'left a bad taste in my mouth'.
The commission advised against the honour because Mr Cruddas resigned as Conservative co-treasurer in 2012 after it was claimed he offered access to then PM and his chancellor in return for donations and it is believed he has been turned down numerous times before.
According to data from The Electoral Commission Mr Cruddas donated a total of £4,238,299.66 to the party and campaigns it's supported going as far back as 2009.
Today ex-Prime Minister John Major became one of the latest to hit out against Johnson in the deepening sleaze-row his party has been embroiled in, the latest being Owen Paterson's scandal.
Speaking of Downing Street refusing to rule out the possibility of recommending Mr Paterson a peerage, Major told BBC Radio 4: 'There have been some extraordinary elevations to the peerage in recent years, quite extraordinary.
'Quite apart from the over-large number of peers that have been put there, I think it would be rather extraordinary if that happens and I’m not at all sure if it would be approved of by the House of Lords or by those who vet peerages.' “

I think what he does need to be given is a swift kick up the arse!

Grantanow

Certainly not, now or later. I think the Commissioner, Kathryn Stone, should be recognised with a peerage or a decoration.

Oh my goodness, not for the first time I find myself wishing that these Gransnet message boards had a “like” or even “love” facility for messages we approve of ☺️✔️♥️
Well said Grantanow ??

Kali2

Surely even Johnson could not even think of doing that!

Want to bet on it??

Surely even Johnson could not even think of doing that!

The Lords don’t always bear much scrutiny....they seem to be kicked upstairs regularly by all political parties at times.

I know what he should be given..but I don’t think you spell it like that ?

They think everyone will forget about it…..

I wouldn’t bet against it.

The sense of entitlement of those wallowing in the sewer is limitless.

My answer to the thread title is a resounding no. I won't speculate on what may or may not have been intimated behind closed doors.

I would imagine they offered him a peerage if he resigned thinking that it would soon become yesterday news…..

The thing I find depressing is that the subject has been raised at all, when the man has been found to have broken the rules. Surely that should completely bar him from being offered a peerage.

No ,but its the Tory way isn't it,Ruth Davidson who started her "career" as leader with 22% of the vote left with 16% given a seat in the Lords no doubt that wee Dougie Ross will be expecting a reward for HIS failure too.Its all very sad ,thank goodness the party I support doesn't send failed /or even successful Mp's to The Lords ...seems the British government wants inequality to be the order of the day

No.

No!

No, when he was in N Ireland he was regarded as a nonentity and not that bright. Why elevate him?

I sincerely hope not, but I imagine if weren’t true the conservative gov would have denied it. My guess is he (Mr Patterson) was offered a peerage to go away.
What a national shame, scandal after scandal, corruption, incompetence, it makes me so embarrassed to say I’m English.

I sincerely hope not.

eazybee

I doubt if this is a serious proposition, just something floated in the media.
And if it is not immediately denied, that is promoted by some as meaning it is true.

Contradicting yourself there, eazybee. If it's not true then why not deny it immediately?

It does make a useful dead cat, though...

I doubt if this is a serious proposition, just something floated in the media.
And if it is not immediately denied, that is promoted by some as meaning it is true.

Of course not - but knowing Johnson he will be tempted to do so, since he has utter contempt for the opinions of us little people.

I'm actually quite sure that it's a dead cat. I can't believe, that after all the furore, and the disgust expressed by most of the public, that Johnson would have the brass neck to elevate his mate Paterson.

OTOH He might try to slip him in at a later date when the storm has, he hopes, blown over.

MaizieD

Baggs

The answer to what, maiz?

The answer to:

'Were MPs told that if they voted against the amendment money would be withheld from their constituencies?'

Thanks.

Baggs

The answer to what, maiz?

The answer to:

'Were MPs told that if they voted against the amendment money would be withheld from their constituencies?'

Certainly not, now or later. I think the Commissioner, Kathryn Stone, should be recognised with a peerage or a decoration.