Sitting in the House of Commons is “not a hobby”, a politician has warned, while another described MPs as the “crucible to our nation’s democracy”.
They made their comments while debating a Government-backed plan to ban MPs from taking second jobs giving advice on public policy and current affairs.
Commons Leader Lucy Powell warned the existing rules contain “loopholes allowing a member to use their privileged position and knowledge for personal gain”.
She 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.”
Conservative shadow Commons leader Chris Philp said: “Standards and integrity are critical to this House of Commons, we are the crucible to our nation’s democracy, our constituents have sent us here to represent them, and our constituents are entitled to expect the very highest standards of behaviour from us as Members of Parliament.
“Now, we’re fortunate, I think, that in this country our standards in public life are higher than they are in many countries, but there is no room for complacency and we should constantly strive to improve and perfect the standards in this House, it’s a duty I think we owe the public.
From the backbenches, Labour MP for Blyth and Ashington Ian Lavery said MPs are paid so much they are “nearly millionaires”.
He said: “I never thought in a million years when I was working at the pit that I would be on a salary of £91,346. It’s a fortune, you know, it’s an absolute fortune, and you’ve got to work for it, you’ve got to work for your constituents.
“This is like a full-time job plus, and if it’s not a full-time job plus, I’m afraid my view is: you’re not doing your job. If you’re elected as a Member of Parliament, with 70,000-odd constituents, then that’s a full-time job.”
Making his maiden speech, Labour MP for Ipswich Jack Abbott said he has “no idea why or how any Member of Parliament would have a second job” while Tory MP for South Leicestershire Alberto Costa said during his time on the Commons Standards and Privileges committees between 2020 and 2024 “the amount of work we had to deal with in the last parliament was substantial, onerous and unprecedented”.
Under the existing rules, MPs must not provide paid parliamentary advice or become a parliamentary strategist or adviser, but advice on public policy and current affairs, and general advice as to how Parliament works, are exempted.
Ms Powell has proposed removing these exemptions, effective from October 25 this year, and setting up a modernisation committee to look at reforms to House of Commons procedures, standards and working practices.
