Current Affairs The Conservative Party

[Bruce Wayne]

Ed Davey, Kier Starmer, Ian Blackford, all have second jobs outside of being an MP. They are all the same….

That's being disingenuous Pete. No one is saying that still practising medicine or the law is a clear conflict of interest. What people are saying is that those MPs who act as consultants to private firms run a real risk of falling foul of lobbying rules on behalf of those firms. Look at the list of MPs who offer such services. Of 32 listed, all but 2 are Tories. Do you think that's because of their unique expertise or because of their position in the governing party and therefore their ability to influence affairs?

Which MPs have second jobs and how much do they earn?

Boris Johnson is proposing to ban MPs from acting as paid political consultants - Labour is also calling for a ban.

www.bbc.co.uk

• Andrew Mitchell (Conservative) holds six consultancy jobs, supporting investment banks and accountancy firms. He has registered more than £180,000 for 34.5 days' work
• Julian Smith (Conservative) is earning £144,000 for 62-84 hours' work for three companies, including advising on energy and renewable fuels
• Former transport and justice secretary Chris Grayling (Conservative) earns £100,000 to advise Hutchison Ports
• Mark Garnier (Conservative) is paid to sit on the advisory boards of two companies in the space and satellite industry, committing 20 hours a month for an annual payment of £90,000
• Sir Ed Davey (Lib Dem) works as a consultant for two firms alongside his job as leader of the Liberal Democrats. He says his extra £78,000 income goes towards supporting his disabled son
• Alun Cairns (Conservative), who left his post as Welsh Secretary in 2019, earns £60,000 advising three companies
• Ruth Edwards (Conservative), who has represented Rushcliffe since 2019, commits to 192 hours for £60,000 per year, advising a software company
• Stephen Hammond (Conservative) advises an investment company on political issues for £60,000 a year
• Since leaving his role as health minister in 2019, Steve Brine (Conservative) has joined three firms, including Sigma Pharmaceuticals. He earns almost £60,000 for 288 hours
• David Davis (Conservative) earns just over £50,000 as an adviser to two German companies
• John Hayes (Conservative) offers up to 90 hours of his time annually to international energy company BB Energy Trading, earning £50,000
• Former party leader and cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative) advises two health companies for £45,000
• Damian Green (Conservative) advises transport company Abellio on rail policy for 288 hours and £40,000 annually
• Tim Loughton (Conservative) receives £37,000 for advising a children's services provider
• Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative) provides "general advice" to an American mining firm, earning £36,000 a year
• Andrew Percy (Conservative) receives £36,000 a year for advising a Canadian clean energy company for six hours a month
• Khalid Mahmood (Labour) has committed up to 15 hours a month advising the Policy Exchange think tank on issues including extremism. He receives a salary of £25,000 a year
• Laurence Robertson (Conservative) advises the Betting and Gaming Council for £24,000 a year. He is expected to commit 10 hours a month
• Richard Fuller's (Conservative) outside earnings include £20,000 as an advisory director of an investment company
• Chair of the House of Commons justice committee Sir Bob Neill (Conservative) has been receiving almost £20,000 for two consultancy roles, including a law firm. One of the roles ended earlier this year
• Royston Smith (Conservative) has received £18,000 since May 2020 for 30 hours' work as a consultant for a property company
• Until earlier this year, Mark Pritchard (Conservative) was earning £18,000 a year for advice by the Consumer Credit Association
• Sir Greg Knight (Conservative) advises a bank for £16,000 a year on "general business and public relations"
• Until earlier this year, Ben Everitt (Conservative) committed 60 to 80 hours a year to advising the Institute of Chartered Accountants for £15,000
• Andrew Bridgen (Conservative) offers political advice for £12,000 a year, to a company which grows teak in Ghana
• Philip Davies (Conservative) earns £12,000 annually as a parliamentary adviser to the National Pawnbroking Association
• Sir Graham Brady (Conservative) earns £10,000 a year for 12 hours work as a strategic adviser
• Former universities minister Chris Skidmore (Conservative) provides advice on higher education for £10,000 a year
• Paul Maynard (Conservative) earns £6,250 a year as a consultant to a banking services company. He says his earnings go straight to charity
• John Redwood (Conservative) is an adviser for a private equity fund, for which he earns £5,000
• Until earlier this year, Andrew Lewer (Conservative) provided public policy advice to a property firm for £4,800 per year
• Dean Russell (Conservative) has received just over £2,000 in 2021 as a consultant for a business training company

 

[Eggs]

….whilst it’s right to pursue and uncover Government sleaze, I do think Labour are missing a trick not persistently reminding the electorate that they are ‘Toffs’.

I find it amazing Johnson resonates as ‘being one of us’ with large sections of the electorate. He’s a toff who feels he’s above the law & Labour should continually point out his privileged status and that of many of his colleagues. Rees-Mogg is a Tory own goal that should be exploited alongside Johnson.

Despicable politicians.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

….whilst it’s right to pursue and uncover Government sleaze, I do think Labour are missing a trick not persistently reminding the electorate that they are ‘Toffs’.

I find it amazing Johnson resonates as ‘being one of us’ with large sections of the electorate. He’s a toff who feels he’s above the law & Labour should continually point out his privileged status and that of many of his colleagues. Rees-Mogg is a Tory own goal that should be exploited alongside Johnson.

Despicable politicians.

Haven't we all done this last year?

 

[JimmyJeffers]

That's being disingenuous Pete. No one is saying that still practising medicine or the law is a clear conflict of interest. What people are saying is that those MPs who act as consultants to private firms run a real risk of falling foul of lobbying rules on behalf of those firms. Look at the list of MPs who offer such services. Of 32 listed, all but 2 are Tories. Do you think that's because of their unique expertise or because of their position in the governing party and therefore their ability to influence affairs?

Which MPs have second jobs and how much do they earn?

Boris Johnson is proposing to ban MPs from acting as paid political consultants - Labour is also calling for a ban.

www.bbc.co.uk

• Former transport and justice secretary Chris Grayling (Conservative) earns £100,000 to advise Hutchison Ports

 

[Alan Whittle]

I love the fact that arch euro sceptic David Davis is paid £50k pa to advise two German companies.
On what??

 

[summerisle]

 

[Thomasc]

….whilst it’s right to pursue and uncover Government sleaze, I do think Labour are missing a trick not persistently reminding the electorate that they are ‘Toffs’.

I find it amazing Johnson resonates as ‘being one of us’ with large sections of the electorate. He’s a toff who feels he’s above the law & Labour should continually point out his privileged status and that of many of his colleagues. Rees-Mogg is a Tory own goal that should be exploited alongside Johnson.

Despicable politicians.

I don’t think he does. He just appeals to the terminally thick as 5hit who think he’s a good laugh and a bit of a character.
They aren’t interested in his political prowess, they view that in the same light as they do Dancing on Ice, the absolute [Poor language removed].
If ever there was a time when people should have to do an IQ test to be allowed to vote, it’s now.

 

[summerisle]

The fetid stench continues to unravel, unbelievable this.

Iain Duncan Smith accused of ‘brazen conflict of interest’ over £25,000 job

Ex-Tory leader chaired government taskforce that recommended new rules benefiting firm he was employed by

www.theguardian.com

 

[BigMick]

….whilst it’s right to pursue and uncover Government sleaze, I do think Labour are missing a trick not persistently reminding the electorate that they are ‘Toffs’.

I find it amazing Johnson resonates as ‘being one of us’ with large sections of the electorate. He’s a toff who feels he’s above the law & Labour should continually point out his privileged status and that of many of his colleagues. Rees-Mogg is a Tory own goal that should be exploited alongside Johnson.

Despicable politicians.

I'd like to think so, Eggs, but many, many years ago I remember a very shrewd political adviser saying, 'The British public like a toff in charge.' Sadly, I think he's been proved right in the years since then: Blair, Cameron, Johnson; even Thatcher, while she broke many political norms, tried to speak like a toff.

I suspect @Thomasc above pretty much nails the reasons for Johnson's ability to skate over repeated blunders and scandals.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

Any government in charge with an economic downturn is going struggle. No more so than one headed up by Boris. Boris being, well just Boris won't cut it as households begin to struggle with cost of living and inflation and very much predicted interest rate raise incoming. The money earnt on the side by all parties of Westminster will come into sharp focus it will just get further amplified the more the electorate struggle financially. However, it's the Conservatives in charge they will have to own it.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Shouldn't really be a surprise any longer

 

[Blue 1]

TBF that could easily just be a story to try and ultimately discredit / derail this current row - Cox has made a lot of money but then as a QC of his experience and knowledge he was always going to be coining it in. Nor is it that strange he's been acting on behalf of a government, even one engaged in tax avoidance. I'm sure the Mail understand this (having lots of experience of QCs and tax avoidance themselves), so on its merits this really doesn't convince as a hit piece itself - its almost designed for people to think its a lot of money but there is a clear reason for him to have earned it (so legitimizing the idea of MPs coining it in).

Also I suppose expanding the "sleaze" to money earned by lawyering for disreputable types will bring in a lot of Labour figures (including Starmer and Khan), of the whole didn't you represent nonces / terrorists kind that they've already tried before.

FWIW they would (and should) never stop people acting as lawyers from continuing to work whilst being MPs, just as they should never stop doctors from continuing to practice after being elected; at least those people actually do measurable things that can be checked openly rather than the types getting five and six figure sums for "political advice", speeches and various forms of consulting (which are where the problem is).

Oh look...

Keir Starmer did legal work on top of his job as MP, records show

Starmer was paid almost £26,000 for work while he was an MP before he became Labour leader

www.theguardian.com

 

[Toast]

 

[Tin-Tin]

Keeps coming

 

[Kurt.]