Paterson’s plea to Euro court

FORMER Tory minister Owen Paterson is taking the Government to the European Court of Human Rights to challenge a decision that he broke lobbying rules.

The ex-Northern Ireland Secretary, pictured, resigned from the Commons last year after Parliament’s standards watchdog ruled that he improperly lobbied for a Covid testing firm.

The ardent Eurosceptic is now arguing his right to privacy was breached under the European Convention on Human Rights – which he previously said the UK should quit. The European Court has formally asked Rishi Sunak’s Government to respond. No10 declined to comment yesterday.