Xann Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 (edited) 17 minutes ago, desensitized43 said: It's all backwards really. When I think about how any normal person would think in this situation - If I have a job that pays me ~80k and another job that pays me ~150k, I think I would know which was my "main" job and which was my "second" job. So basically we have a load of MP's who's primary job isn't being an MP. I don't think this is a situation we can tolerate. Frankly, they're taking the **** piss out of their constituents and the country. I caught the end of an interview with Dominic Raab yesterday on the subject of sleaze / corruption in the party and he finished with something along the lines of “it’s the general public who will hold them to account at the ballot box”. Translated to me “we think the general public are past caring so we’ll keep taking the piss scot free for as long as we can continue to get away with it”. This is where the press need to step up and make what is going on completely unignorable (new word). Theres no a lot of incentive for MP’s to set a good example when their boss is up to his neck in dodgy deals himself. Edited November 10, 2021 by Genie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 The biggest issue I have with the 2nd job stuff is this: If you're in a safe seat, you basically don't need to do anything as an MP to stay as one. You have as much time as you like to take 1000 quid an hour consultancies to do whatever you want. If you're in a marginal, you have to actually do your job. In a proper world, that's what MPs should be doing but any system where the field isn't level isn't a good system. I repeat, bring back sortition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 How many of them have second jobs that are completely independent of their “first job”? I imagine none. It’s basically big companies paying politicians for access (and should be banned). It’s part of their “first” job to do what’s best for the country which they are already being paid for. They shouldn’t be paid extra to look after a specific business. They are being paid to look at all of them and go with what’s best. If they have special skills which major corporations are interested in then they need to quit as a politician. This all needs to be dragged out of the murky shadows. Who is getting paid by who and why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ml1dch Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 (edited) 10 minutes ago, Genie said: How many of them have second jobs that are completely independent of their “first job”? I imagine none. I imagine lots. It's just that they aren't the ones caught up in the current headlines. Douglas Ross probably doesn't use his political position to help his running the line in football matches for example. Edited November 10, 2021 by ml1dch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 (edited) 2 minutes ago, ml1dch said: I imagine lots. It's just that they aren't the ones caught up in the current headlines. Douglas Ross for example probably doesn't use his political position to help his running the line in football matches for example. Fair enough, and that’s the kind of reason why second jobs are allowed. I’d love to see a register of the MP’s and their other revenue streams, does such a thing exist? I expect there are many who are paid huge sums for very few hours of work that should be scrutinised. Edited November 10, 2021 by Genie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ml1dch Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 12 minutes ago, Genie said: I’d love to see a register of the MP’s and their other revenue streams, does such a thing exist? Register of Members' Financial Interests - have fun. It's things being declared on there that means it's in the news - Cox added his BVI income to it this week. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 1 hour ago, Genie said: I caught the end of an interview with Dominic Raab yesterday on the subject of sleaze / corruption in the party and he finished with something along the lines of “it’s the general public who will hold them to account at the ballot box”. Translated to me “we think the general public are past caring so we’ll keep taking the piss scot free for as long as we can continue to get away with it”. He's completely correct, as well. In fact, many will probably applaud these MPs for "doing two jobs, what great people". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amsterdam_Neil_D Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 2 minutes ago, bobzy said: In fact, many will probably applaud these MPs for "doing two jobs, what great people". MP's 2nd Jobs should be at 90% income tax rate or similar. Funny how they don't choose to do voluntary work in their local area if they want to understand their electorate and the challenges they face on a daily basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ml1dch Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 Lols Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted November 10, 2021 Moderator Share Posted November 10, 2021 Rats in a sack The problem they have with Cox is that he is and always has been a very well paid QC. He won't go quietly and part of the reason he won't go quietly is that he knows the law better than them, he also knows the HoC rules and he earns that much money outside of Parliament that they really can't buy him off with a peerage for example as it wouldn't make a dent in what he currently earns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted November 10, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted November 10, 2021 2 hours ago, StefanAVFC said: The biggest issue I have with the 2nd job stuff is this: If you're in a safe seat, you basically don't need to do anything as an MP to stay as one. You have as much time as you like to take 1000 quid an hour consultancies to do whatever you want. If you're in a marginal, you have to actually do your job. In a proper world, that's what MPs should be doing but any system where the field isn't level isn't a good system. I repeat, bring back sortition. No surprise that my MP, Andrew Mitchell, has apparently got SIX consultancy jobs on the side. You could put a blue tie on a plant pot in Sutton Coldfield and it would get elected 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 11 minutes ago, ml1dch said: Lols I think i’ve seen this movie before. Spoiler alert “no rules were broken”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted November 10, 2021 Moderator Share Posted November 10, 2021 1 minute ago, Genie said: I think i’ve seen this movie before. Spoiler alert “no rules were broken” In terms of him earning money outside of being an MP, they almost certainly were not broken Where Labour have a point is that he was using his HoC Office to do his QCing and that most definitely is against the rules. The whole money outside of being an MP is a non-starter as a line of attack. Labour did that yesterday just to throw some mud but now there's evidence he was using his HoC office to do other work, he has definitely broken the rules. Ignore the money earned, it's irrelevant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 11 minutes ago, bickster said: The whole money outside of being an MP is a non-starter as a line of attack I dunno, it might be funny to see some of them scrutinised. What EXACTLY are you doing for Randox for 7-8 hours per month and being paid £4,100? Where is it being done and why are they paying you such a huge hourly rate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choffer Posted November 10, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted November 10, 2021 1 hour ago, ml1dch said: Register of Members' Financial Interests - have fun. It's things being declared on there that means it's in the news - Cox added his BVI income to it this week. *Sweeping generalisation alert* Skimming through this makes genuinely (for me) interesting reading. At first glance it was tough among the vast swathes of unknown names, to divine who was who but a pattern emerged with Tories having (generally) much longer entries. We can also see that: Conservatives obviously like football, given the number of tickets (with meals) they are gifted. Mostly by gambling companies Tories supplement their income by completing a vast amount of surveys Labourites receive expenses for speaking events for non-profits Tories receive expenses for speaking events for commercial organisations Conservatives often own multiple properties Conservatives often hold multiple non-exec positions with big companies Tories have a lot of "honorary" memberships of a lot of different clubs and associations Diane Abbott is writing a book (that's a free hit for @tonyh29) The Daily Mail pays about £2,000 for an article A lot of Labour members get ticket to The Brits Tories own farmland. Lots of it IDS writes a lot of articles and is handsomely rewarded for it I could go on. It's a fascinating read - I'm not really finding out anything here that most wouldn't be aware of but whilst there are always exceptions, it paints a fairly stark picture of our political landscape. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted November 10, 2021 Moderator Share Posted November 10, 2021 3 minutes ago, Genie said: I dunno, it might be funny to see some of them scrutinised. What EXACTLY are you doing for Randox for 7-8 hours per month and being paid £4,100? Where is it being done and why are they paying you such a huge hourly rate? I am employed in advisory capacity on a consultancy basis.I can't discus the nature of my work as that is privileged company information End of conversation. It's gone on since forever and Turkeys do not vote for Xmas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 2 minutes ago, bickster said: I am employed in advisory capacity on a consultancy basis.I can't discus the nature of my work as that is privileged company information End of conversation. It's gone on since forever and Turkeys do not vote for Xmas Yeah, I agree, I’m asking for what will never happen, but would still be immensely interesting if it did. Why is such a successful business paying you over £500 an hour to advise them what to do? How much do they pay other advisers? When exactly are you working for them? Do you go to their site? Have you recommended / lobbied for them internally within the government? Do you think they would continue to pay you to advise them if you were not an MP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amsterdam_Neil_D Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 29 minutes ago, Stevo985 said: You could put a blue tie on a plant pot in Sutton Coldfield and it would get elected I grew up there. I don't think Labour voters even vote as it's so very blue. There are not that many poor parts of Sutton either and the house prices are on another level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted November 10, 2021 Moderator Share Posted November 10, 2021 5 minutes ago, Genie said: Yeah, I agree, I’m asking for what will never happen, but would still be immensely interesting if it did. Why is such a successful business paying you over £500 an hour to advise them what to do? How much do they pay other advisers? When exactly are you working for them? Do you go to their site? Have you recommended / lobbied for them internally within the government? Do you think they would continue to pay you to advise them if you were not an MP? Now if Labour had a banning 2nd Jobs for MPs as campaign issue... but there's a problem with that Quote The LABOUR MPs with second jobs: David Lammy has earned £141,000 in three years for speeches at Google, Facebook, City corporations and media appearances while Keir Starmer pocketed £25k for legal advice The Heil, today, kicking back already (and they'd actually be correct too) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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