Kenilworth's MP has said that members of parliament should not have a say in determining sanctions for their colleagues.

MP for Kenilworth and South Jeremy Wright said that any reforms to parliamentary scrutiny should focus on "diminishing, or removing altogether, the role of MPs in judging and determining sanctions on other MPs."

Mr Wright added that any decisions should also be made on a cross-party basis due to the "lack of consensus in favour of the changes proposed so far."

His comments come in response to the government's botched plans to change conduct rules for MPs.

PM Boris Johnson had initially supported both the plans and the blocking of the suspension of then Tory MP Owen Paterson for breaking lobbying rules, but was forced to back down after backlash from the rest of the commons.

Last week the Commons Standards Committee found that two firms Mr Paterson worked for had benefitted inappropriately from his position in office.

Jeremy Wright abstained in the parliamentary vote despite the PM instructing his Tory MPs to back the changes and the suspension.

Mr Wright said: "My personal view of the evidence presented is that Owen Paterson breached the rules, but that the penalty proposed takes insufficient account of the mitigation available."

He added: "External scrutiny of MPs' conduct is important and the conclusions of the Independent Commissioner should be respected.

"I did not therefore support moves to reverse or disregard those conclusions."

Mr Paterson has since resigned from his post.

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(Image of Jeremy Wright via parliament.uk