Why claim welfare when you could earn a morally questionable living?
Over the past week it’s come to light just how many MPs are being paid tens of thousands of pounds a year to act as consultants and advisers for a range of companies.
Some of these MPs receive astonishing sums of money, some many times their parliamentary salary.
If declared on the Register of Public Interests, it’s no harm no foul.
However, it is interesting to see just how many MPs that reap the benefits trousering wads of consultancy cash simultaneously enjoy slashing welfare.
The second highest-paid MP Julian Smith has always voted against raising welfare in line with prices
On the side, Smith earns £144,000 for 62-84 hours work for three companies, including advising on energy and renewable fuels.
£144,000!!!
Sir Ed Davey defended his second gig, as it ‘benefit[s] my disabled son’
… but has almost always voted against paying higher benefits for those unable to work due to disability.
Liberal Democrat Sir Ed is one of only two non-Conservatives among around 30 MPs with a second job as a consultant.
Former Transport Secretary Chris Grayling pockets £100,000 per annum to advise Hutchison Ports
A bizarre post, considering Grayling’s track record. During his time as transport secretary, he infamously awarded a ferry company a £13.8 million contract to run post-Brexit ferry services.
The ferry company had no ferries.
And then it went bust – because it couldn’t buy ferries, which cost the taxpayer £2million.
OH and also he has consistently voted to cut universal credit allowances.
Steve Brine used to be a health minister…
…now he uses his inner-government knowledge to advise three pharmaceutical firms, having pocketed a tasty £60,000 for eight hours work per month.
Thanks to Steve, one of the firms recently won a £100,000 government contract.
Anyway, over the course of four years, he voted to cut benefits – drumroll please – FIFTY TIMES.
Former Minister Andrew Mitchell has six consultancy jobs, advising investment banks and accountancy firms, contributing to a fat side-wedge
The MP, famous for once describing a police officer as a “pleb”, has registered more than £180,000 for 34.5 days work.
He has voted 11 times to save himself a tax increase on earnings over £150,000. Meanwhile, he voted to cut welfare FORTY-TWO times.
FIFTY-THREE votes to cut benefits for Former Minister Mark Garnier
Gariner is paid to sit on the advisory boards of two companies in the space and satellite industry, somehow committing 20 hours a month alongside his full-time job as an MP, for an annual payment of £90,000.
In between his busy job as a consultant, he works to ensure benefit claimants don’t see any uplift.
Not a consultant but honourable mention to Sir Geoffrey Cox – who voted to slash welfare benefits FOURTY TIMES throughout his tenure
Earlier this year, Cox earned more than £150,000 in his second job as a lawyer advising the Caribbean tax haven in relation to corruption charges brought by the Foreign Office.
Between April and May this year, during the pandemic, Cox spent weeks in the British Virgin Isles – casting his commons votes from the beach.
Voting info supplied from They Work for You.
Related links:
- Care worker sacked for not having Covid Jab says government is “shameful”
- Ex-PM labels Boris Johnson “shameful”
- Tory MP says pay MPs more to avoid future lobbying scandals
