By Tony O’Riley-
Boris Johnson has said that MPs who break parliamentary rules on second jobs “must be investigated and should be punished”.
In the last week, the government has come under fire over its backing of former MP Owen Paterson, who was found to have breached rules on lobbying.
The prime minister claimed one of the “most important” rules in government is that MPs “who break the rules must be investigated, and should be punished” accordingly.
Speaking at a Cop26 press conference, during which he made a last bid attempt to rally world leaders to commit to stronger climate pledges, the PM also said the rules about MPs holding second jobs are “clear” – and that they must put their role as constituency representatives “first”.
Johnson insisted that he “genuinely believes the UK is not remotely a corrupt country”, Mr Johnson told reporters on Wednesday: “For hundreds of years, MPs have gone to parliament and also done work as doctors, lawyers or soldiers or firefighters … but, if that system is going to continue today, then it is crucial that MPs follow the rules”.
The prime minister’s strong position comes after Sir Geoffrey Cox – who served as attorney general between 2018 and 2020 – earlier denied breaching Commons rules, despite footage which appears to show him conducting non-parliamentary work from his MP office.
He had been working as an adviser to the British Virgin Islands during an inquiry, launched by the UK government, into possible corruption there.
It has since emerged that former attorney general Sir Geoffrey Cox earned more than £800,000 while working as a barrister for law firm Withers, which is representing the British Virgin Islands (BVI) government in a corruption case brought by the UK government.
Sir Geoffrey Cox has earned £800,000 for working at a law firm while also serving as an MP Speaking at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, the prime minister said he did not want to comment on individual cases.
But he added it is “crucial” MPs follow the rules, and said parliamentarians should “put your job as an MP first and devote yourself primarily to your constituents”.
Rules
Mr Johnson said for “hundreds of years” MPs have also had other jobs and he thinks that has strengthened the UK’s democracy because voters “feel parliamentarians need to have experience of the world”.
“But if that system is to continue today, it’s crucial MPs follow the rules,” he warned in his strongest words on the issue yet.
“You must put your job as an MP first and you must devote yourself primarily and above all to your constituents, the people who send you to Westminster, to parliament.”
He said MPs should not use their position to lobby on behalf of an outside interest
But Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said Mr Johnson’s refusal to apologise for the Paterson affair “proves that he doesn’t care about tackling the corruption that has engulfed Downing Street, his government and the Conservative Party”.
She accused the PM of “taking the mickey out of the British people” and refusing to “clean up his mess”.
“He thinks it’s one rule for him and another rule for everyone else,” Ms Rayner added.
Defence
Sir Geoffrey has defended his extra earnings, with a statement on his website saying “he does not believe that he breached the rules”.
The MP’s office said: “Sir Geoffrey regularly works 70-hour weeks and always ensures that his casework on behalf of his constituents is given primary importance and fully carried out”.
Sir Geoffrey voted by proxy in the House of Commons while earning hundreds of thousands of pounds for the legal work more than 4,000 miles away in the Caribbean.
According to his entry in the register of members’ financial interests, Sir Geoffrey did approximately 434 hours of work for Withers between January and July this year, at an average of more than 15 hours per week.
Owen Paterson quit as an MP after he was found to have broken lobbying rules
Sir Geoffrey took part, by proxy, in Commons votes this year on the cladding scandal and on protecting the UK’s steel industry.
And, by taking advantage of the Commons allowing widespread proxy voting – introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic – Sir Geoffrey was also able to appear at a corruption inquiry held in the British Virgin Islands, a British Overseas Territory, on the same day those votes were held.
Sir Geoffrey is also facing claims he used his parliamentary office to undertake some of his work for Withers after footage appeared to show the MP using his Commons office to carry out a Zoom session of the BVI Commission of Inquiry.