MPs will be allowed to keep their lucrative television jobs – but face a crackdown on lobbying roles under new rules.
Labour had vowed to ban all second jobs ahead of the election but have watered down the plans to restrict paid advisory and consultancy roles.
Commons leader Lucy Powell said the move would get rid of a loophole and ensure MPs focused on their constituents rather than personal gain.
But they will still be able to carry out paid media appearances and write books and articles for money.
MPs yesterday backed her proposals to ban lobbying work from October. They also backed plans for a new ‘modernisation committee’ to reform Commons rules.
MPs will not be allowed to have second jobs under the popular move – with exceptions made for those taking on lucrative TV jobs, like Mr Farage (pictured on his prime time GB News show)
Commons leader Lucy Powell (pictured) will chair a new ‘modernisation committee’ aiming to improve practices. MPs are currently still allowed to advise on policy and current affairs
An undercover investigation by The Times newspaper saw former Tory MP Scott Benton filmed saying he was prepared to leak market sensitive information to a bogus investment fund
Chaired by Ms Powell, the committee is designed to change outdated Commons procedures, drive up standards and improve working practices.
MPs are already banned from lobbying for an employer in Parliament or trying to influence ministers in a paid role. They are also banned from working as a parliamentary strategist or consultant.
But the current rules permit them to give ‘advice on public policy and current affairs’ as well as ‘advice in general terms about how Parliament works’ while in an outside job.
These exemptions will now be removed from late October, with Ms Powell arguing they could ‘potentially act as loopholes’ to allow MPs to use their position for ‘personal gain’.
She said the government wanted to go further on second jobs, but suggested there were no plans to put limits on the amount of time MPs could devote to outside work or how much they could earn in an interview with the Guardian.
This could mean that MPs such as Geoffrey Cox, a lawyer who has earned millions in his time in Parliament, could continue in his role.
MPs made a total of more than £17m from outside work during the last parliament, according to Sky News and Tortoise.
Boris Johnson was the biggest earner, declaring £4.8m in earnings from speeches and writing, followed by Theresa May, who earned more than £2.5m.
Sir Keir Starmer previously pledged to ban MPs from taking nearly all outside jobs after former Tory MP Owen Paterson was found to have broken lobbying rules in 2021.
However, he later defended his now Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who became the highest earning Labour MP, taking home £238,000 over three years from outside work.
The ban did not appear in the manifesto and an exemption for media work and writing books has been introduced.
Roles requiring continuous practice to keep professional registrations, such as working as a doctor or lawyer, will be unaffected.
From October 25, the Guide to the Rules relating to the conduct of MPs will be amended to remove the exemptions.
MPs will also still be able to write books and articles for money. Nadine Dorries was one of a number of MPs who released a book (pictured) during the last parliament
Nigel Farage, MP for Clacton, still appears on GB News to give his views on current affairs
Sir Keir Starmer made a 2021 promise to restrict MPs’ second jobs in the wake of former Tory minister Owen Paterson (pictured) being found to have broken lobbying rules
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said previously that the ban on second jobs would lead to a ‘professional cadre of politicians removed from the rest of society’.
Ms Powell told the Commons: ‘This may encourage not only a potential conflict of interest, but a conflict of attention too, with too much of a member’s time and energy spent on things other than constituency or parliamentary business.
‘This new Parliament offers a chance to turn the page, after the sorry and sordid record of the last. We face a crisis in trust in politics, politicians and Parliament.
‘As we know, it’s a great privilege to sit in this house. To be an MP represents an opportunity to change the country for the better and underpinning that privilege is a set of solemn responsibilities.
‘Chief among these is the responsibility we all have to embody the highest standards of public service.’
