MP second jobs rule change needed after Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng sting: The Yorkshire Post says

Former cabinet ministers Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng already engendered little in the way of public sympathy but their lack of popularity is likely to have plummeted even further following an investigation showing both men hoped to make £10,000 a day as consultants for a fake company.
By YP Comment
Published 26th Mar 2023, 13:17 BST

The sting operation by campaign group Led by Donkeys saw both Mr Hancock and Mr Kwarteng set out six-figure sums for what they would expect to be paid to advise a non-existent firm in South Korea.

After Led by Donkeys approached 20 cross-party MPs with the supposed “opportunity”, the two men were among five Tory Parliamentarians to participate in an online interview about their potential involvement.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There is no accusation of wrongdoing, with MPs permitted to seek employment outside of Parliament with Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove saying the MPs had acted “within the rules”.

Gina Coladangelo and Matt Hancock on day one of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse. Picture date: Tuesday March 14, 2023.Gina Coladangelo and Matt Hancock on day one of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse. Picture date: Tuesday March 14, 2023.
Gina Coladangelo and Matt Hancock on day one of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse. Picture date: Tuesday March 14, 2023.

But the situation is concerning on two levels.

Firstly, the fact that senior MPs who have held positions of high office were willing to enter into detailed discussions without conducting any kind of effective oversight of the supposed company they would be working for raises serious questions about their professional judgement.

Secondly, there is an important wider question of whether MPs taking such consultancy roles should allowed at all. MPs are paid a good salary and have a generous expenses regime to fall back on.

Their first duty should be to their constituents not their bank balances. Those who feel that is too stringent a stipulation would not be missed in Westminster.

Related topics:Yorkshire PostKwasi KwartengMatt HancockMPsMichael GoveParliament