The House of Commons' standards watchdog has been plunged into chaos and is facing major questions about its future after Tory MPs voted to block the suspension of Owen Paterson.
Tory MPs won a controversial vote in the Commons yesterday afternoon to review Mr Paterson's case and to overhaul the current standards system.
The move has sparked complete chaos, with the current system for regulating MPs' behaviour in tatters.
Opposition parties have vowed to boycott a new Government-backed committee which is supposed to be making recommendations on how to improve the existing process.
There have also been Tory calls for the current Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Stone, to quit.
The turmoil means it is unclear what will happen to the eight politicians, including Cabinet minister Therese Coffey, who are currently being investigated by the Commissioner.
Three of the MPs who are under investigation - Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly, Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski and Tory MP David Warburton - voted in favour of overhauling the system.
The other MPs currently under investigation, according to the watchdog's website, are Tory MP Ian Liddell-Grainger and Labour MPs Chi Onwurah, Jo Stevens and Barry Gardiner.
The fact that an investigation is taking place does not mean that Commons rules have been broken.
Ms Stone has indicated that she has no intention of resigning but the long term future of the current standards system is uncertain.
The House of Commons' standards watchdog has been plunged into chaos after Tory MPs voted to block the suspension of Owen Paterson and overhaul the system. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Stone, has indicated she has no intention of resigning
Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey and Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly are among eight MPs currently under investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
Former minister Mr Paterson, the Tory MP for North Shropshire, was found to have committed an 'egregious' breach of standards
