POLL: Should MPs be allowed second jobs?
Conservative Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson launched his GB News show on Friday, but ahead of the first broadcast, a Labour MP called for scrutiny over MPs being allowed to have second jobs.
Several MPs have a second job alongside their role of serving their constituents and fulfilling their duties in the House of Commons. This is permitted as long as they are not a Government minister or have conflicting interests. Any additional income from outside of Parliament must be declared.
The basic annual salary of an MP is £86,584 which is more than double the UK average salary of £33,000.
Mr Anderson has previously been critical of MPs for having second jobs and splitting their time between the House of Commons and other work.
In March the MP for Ashfield in Nottingham publicly denounced ex-Cabinet minister Owen Paterson, saying: “We are paid handsomely for the job we do and if you need an extra £100,000 a year on top then you should really be looking for another job.”
READ MORE: Lee Anderson launches GB News show by spoon-feeding fellow MP baked beans
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But Mr Anderson has since gone against his own comments and taken on a role at GB News, with his new weekly TV show set to rake in an annual salary of £100,000.
Labour MP for Bury South, Christian Wakeford, asked the Commons on Thursday, June 22, for a debate to be called on MPs’ second jobs, referencing the Tory MP’s additional income from his new show.
Research conducted earlier this year by Tortoise and Sky News in the Westminster Accounts tool has shown that MPs have earnt more than £17million from second jobs in the past three years.
So what do YOU think? Should MPs be allowed second jobs? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comment section below.
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