UK Conservatives back down on lobbying plan overhaul

By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Conservative government has backed down on plans to overhaul lobbying rules for lawmakers amid a furious backlash over efforts to abolish the independent system to police the conduct of members of the House of Commons. The Conservative lawmaker at the center of the dispute resigned, arguing he couldn’t defend himself under the current system. But the angry argument raged on after British lawmakers voted Wednesday not to suspend lawmaker Owen Paterson, even though he was found to have broken lobbying rules. House of Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said Thursday he would look for consensus on overhauling the disciplinary process and that the link between Paterson and the future system for lawmakers must be severed.