Exclusive: Tory has time to be an MP even though he does 60 hours of extra paid work a week

Ben Bradley has declared 60 hours of extra paid work per week, on top of his role as an MP

As the Tory sleaze scandal continues to engulf Westminster, it has been revealed that one MP does 60 hours of additional work in not one, but two additional jobs. As well as being a Tory MP for Mansfield, Ben Bradley is the leader of the Nottinghamshire County Council and a member of the Executive Board of East Midlands Councils. Both jobs apparently total 30 hours of additional work per week, raising questions as to how Bradley finds time to be an MP. There is no set amount of hours an MP has to work, but past studies have estimated MPs are working an average of 69 hours a week. Controversy over MP's second jobs first arose last week in the wake of the Owen Paterson lobbying scandal. It's since been revealed by analysis of the Register of Public Interests that at least a quarter of Tory MPs have second jobs, earning over £4m year, prompting public debate over whether an MP has time for two jobs. Green MP for Brighton Pavillion Caroline Lucas rejected the idea MPs have time for additional work while meeting the needs of their constituents, telling the BBC she worked up to 80 hours a week and it was "quite preposterous" to have time for a second well-paid role. Bradley receives £35,211 a year for his work as council leader and £600 a year from his role on the East Midlands Councils Executive Board. The £600-per-year role means the Tory MP is being paid just 38p per hour by the East Midlands.