Conservative MP Owen Paterson's suspension from the House of Commons has been put on hold this afternoon after allies proposed changes to the system. 

The MP for North Shropshire in England was to be suspended for 30-days after the Commons Standards Committee found that the politician had breached lobbying rules. 

However this has been put on hold after a vote was passed to amend the investigation system.

Here's everything you need to know about what has happened...

What did Owen Paterson do?

Owen Paterson is a paid consultant at Randox and Lynn's Country Foods, as well as his role as MP. 

A report released by the committe found that Paterson had lobbied the Food Standards Agency and Department for International Development ministers on behalf of the company, which goes against Parliament's lobbying rules. 

The committee found that Paterson had used his parliamentary office 16 times for meetings related to his business interests outwith his role as MP between October 2016 and February 2020.

He had also sent two letters regarding business interests on House of Commons branded notepaper. 

The committee therefore advised a 30-day suspension from the House of Commons. 

The former cabinet minister rejects that his actions breached rules, stating that his contact with ministers regarding the company were to alert ministers to problems with safety regulations.

He claimed he was pronounced guilty "without being spoken to" and that "no proper investigation was undertaken".

Why has Owen Paterson's suspension been suspended? 

Today, Paterson's suspension from the House of Commons was halted after his allies claimed that the system of investigation was unfair. 

They proposed changing the process of investigation, which was then voted through in Parliament today. 

Conservative MPs were ordered to vote for the amendment, but most Labour and SNP MPs voted against it. 

It was supported by 18 votes, with 250 in favour and 232 against. 

Has Owen Paterson resigned?

As of Thursday afternoon, Owen Paterson has resigned as MP following backlash in the aftermath of the vote to amend the investigation system. 

He handed in his resignation in a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday.