Owen Paterson: Who is the Conservative MP who's quit after lobbying uproar?

Owen Paterson has resigned as MP for North Shropshire after the government performed a U-turn over the controversial blocking of his 30-day Commons suspension for breaching lobbying rules.

Mr Paterson has served as a Conservative MP since 1997, and although departing the Commons from the backbenches, was previously a cabinet minister.

Growing up on his family’s farm in Shropshire, Mr Paterson went on to study history at Cambridge University before joining the National Leathersellers College and joining his family business – British Leather Company.

Before going into politics, the now 65-year-old was president of COTANCE (the Confederation of National Associations of Tanners and Dressers of the European Community).

After an unsuccessful attempt at securing the seat of Wrexham in 1992, he was elected as Conservative MP for North Shropshire five years later with a majority of 2,195.

Mr Paterson increased his majority at every election thereafter, up to 22,949 in the latest 2019 election.

The North Shropshire MP served in the cabinet during the Tory-Lib Dem coalition years – as Northern Ireland secretary from 2010 to 2012, and environment secretary from 2012 to 2014.

As Northern Ireland secretary, Mr Paterson oversaw the publication and delivery of the Saville Report on the events of Bloody Sunday in January 1972, which led to an apology by then-prime minister David Cameron.

He was also the first cabinet member to publicly oppose the coalition government’s Marriage (Same Sec Couples) Bill, defying both Mr Cameron and ministerial convention.