he Owen Patterson scandal has put MPs‘ second jobs and lobbying rules firmly in the spotlight.
The Standards Committee found Mr Paterson “repeatedly” broke parliamentary rules by lobbing for health tech firm Randox and meat producer Lynn’s Country Foods – companies which paid him more than £100,000 a year as a consultant.
Many MPs take on a variety of extra work to supplement their £81,932 salary. It is not against parliamentary the rules to have a second job or provide consultancy work to businesses.
However, they must record it in the register of financial interests and must not lobby Government on behalf of the companies that pay them – as the Standards Committee said Mr Paterson did.
Several London MPs have earnt more than £10,000 on top of their parliamentary salary in the last two years.
On Monday, international trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said she would not back a ban on MPs having second jobs.
“I think the question of MPs having jobs that involve lobbying perhaps should be looked at again,” she said. “But, across the board, I don’t think we should have a removal of the ability to maintain a second job, because it brings a richness to our role as members of parliament.”
Here are the London MPs who declared the most from second jobs. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing.
Dame Margaret is chair of the Royal Holloway’s College Council from November 21 2018 until 20 November 2021. She is paid £20,000 per annum for three hours of work a week.
In May 2021, she was paid £4,000 from the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association for giving a keynote speech at its annual conference.
Sir Robert is director of RJMN Ltd, a strategic consultancy business. Since July 2018, he has received £200 per month from the Hemming Group Ltd, a client of RJMN, for a regular article in the Municipal Journal.
Between September 2016 and January 2021 he was paid £15,000 per annum for providing strategic consultancy advice to Weightmans LLP, a client of RJMN Ltd, for six hours work per month.
Since December 2016 he has been a consultant to the property and business company Substantia Group, receiving £12,000 a year for providing strategic consultancy advice for six hours per month.
In December 2020 he received £7,500 from the Masonic Charitable Foundation for 10 hours of communication advice.
Chingford and Woodford Green
Sir Iain is a member of the international advisory board of Tunstall Health Group, earning £20,000 a year for up to 30 hours work.
He works as an adviser to the board of Byotrol Technology, a British company which develops anti-bacterial products and earns £25,000pa for 144 hours.
Sir Iain has also been paid around £18,000 since October 2020 for writing for various newspapers.
Hackney North and Stoke Newington
In March 2021, Ms Abbott received £18,450 from Penguin as a book advance payment. She has worked around 80 hours to date on the book.
Mr Lammy was paid around £40,000 for more than a dozen speaking engagements totally over 40 hours work. He also received over £33,000 for hosting a radio show on LBC, working more than 200 hours for Global Radio.
Sir Ed is a consultant on political issues for Herbert Smith Freehills, earning £60,000 per year for 72 hours work.
He is also a member of the advisory board of Next Energy Capital, a specialist investment and asset manager in the international solar sector, earning £18,000 per annum for 48 hours work.
He said all earnings were paid to Energy Destinations Ltd and are used to benefit my disabled son.
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan was paid around £15,000 for working about 230 hours as doctor. She worked at St George’s Hospital throughout the pandemic and assisted with GP holiday cover.
She also undertook voluntary shifts at the Royal London Hospital as a member of the family support and liaison team.
Mr Hammond is a strategic adviser to investment company, Darwin Alternative Investments, providing political advice on business and finance and earning £60,000 per year for 50 to 100 hours work.
He is also paid £18,000 per annum for 60 to 75 hours work as Chair of the Infrastructure Policy Board and Joint Chairman of the Policy Board, of Public Policy Projects.
Since March 2021 he has been a non executive directo of Optibiotix Health which pays him £25,000 per year for 50 hours work.
Former barrister Sir Keir Starmer was paid almost £26,000 in 2020 and 2021 for work he did before becoming Labour leader.
Uxbridge and South Ruislip
The Prime Minister was paid almost £10,400 in royalties for a book he has already written.
The highest earning MPs were outside of London. Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield, was paid some £182,600 a year for working for firms including accountants Ernst & Young and the investment company Investec.
While Epsom and Ewell MP Chris Grayling earns £100,000 a year working as strategic adviser to Hutchison Ports Europe. Former chief whip Julian Smith chargesfirms including a hydrogen distribution company and a marine refurbishment business £144,000 a year plus VAT.
