When tensions are already high around MPs having second jobs to support their otherwise “really grim” salary of almost £82,000, we really don’t need to hear a Conservative politician reminding us that MPs are “human beings who have families and responsibilities”.
Unfortunately for us, Romford MP Andrew Rosindell was the backbencher who took it upon himself to inform us of that little known fact, during an interview with BBC’s Newsnight on Tuesday.
“I’m very cautious on [the prime minister’s move on second jobs] because I know that some of my colleagues have jobs and outside work that they do and that means them having to give up… changing their lifestyle.
“We have to be careful about this. We have to realise that we’re dealing with human beings who have families and responsibilities so whilst, as I’ve said before, the first duty must be to Parliament, to our constituency and to the work we do for our country.
“Any changes, I think, should be evolutionary,” he said.
‘Human beings’ also being a term used to describe the 3.6 million families who were left worse off as a result of the Government’s recent cut to Universal Credit, Andrew.
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The prime minister’s plans expand upon a challenge brought by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who said on Wednesday that his party would bring forward a Commons vote to ban MPs from being “paid directors and commercial consultants”.
On Tuesday, Boris Johnson shared his letter to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle on social media, in which he expressed support for recommendations in a 2018 standards report which said that the MPs’ Code of Conduct should be updated to mention that “any outside activity undertaken by an MP … should not prevent them from fully carrying out their range of duties”.
I have written to the Commons Speaker to propose:
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 16, 2021
1) The Code of Conduct for MPs is updated
2) MPs who are prioritising outside interests over their constituents are investigated and appropriately punished
3) MPs are banned from acting as paid political consultants or lobbyists pic.twitter.com/3SSQqrKRCG
He also cited another recommendation from the Committee on Standards in Public Life, which states that the code should be amended to state that MPs should not work as Parliamentary strategists, advisers or consultants.
All of this was sparked by a controversial vote in the Commons at the start of the month, when politicians voted not to suspend Owen Paterson as an MP after he was found guilty of paid lobbying. Mr Paterson has since resigned.
However, Mr Rosindell has since criticised Mr Johnson’s stance on MPs having second jobs, with aforementioned comments which have enraged Twitter users online:
I would love to struggle on £81.000 plus expenses.
— Tcaddy (@Tcaddy5) November 16, 2021
I would gladly swap his paltry £81,932 lifestyle for my £13,500 lifestyle. 🤬
— Lesley 💙😷 (@StryderBourke) November 17, 2021
My heart bleeds for him. So many people living in poverty and they're whining they can't survive on £80k+.
— Sheila Duers#GermanyPlus🏴🇪🇺 (@SheilaDuers) November 17, 2021
It's a lot more than £80k with allowances (£9k for postage costs eg) and benefits and extraordinary payments such as £10k each to set up home offices in the pandemic.
— Adam Lechmere (@AdamLechmere) November 17, 2021
£20.
— James Archer #Walls Come Tumbling Down (@JamesKAArcher) November 17, 2021
When I got Carers Allowance, they cut my Income Support, and because it's legacy benefits, I never got the £20 uplift, but sure, tell me again how hard it is to survive on £81,932.
— Sushi (@sushigal007) November 17, 2021
Plus expenses! It's a bloody gravy train WITHOUT these second jobs!
— AndyK 🇮🇲🇪🇺💙 (@TheFilmOracle) November 16, 2021
Put them all on minimum wage. Better still, minimum wage plus a zero hours contract. Abolish their second home allowances, living expenses and subsidised bars and restaurants. See how many stick around.
— Angela ✊🌿🏴☠️ (@norbois_south) November 17, 2021
Tell him it’s just one of those “Tough Decisions” just like the ones they inflict on us all the time.
— #💙WorkersPartyGreatBritain 💙 Member (@132busroute) November 17, 2021
Well you know they told people on UC to change their lifestyle so what's good for the goose and all that.
— Caroline (@Carolin55162028) November 16, 2021
What about those human beings with families and responsibilities that just lost the UC uplift. These people are unbelievable 🤬
— #WeAreSoF**ked💙😷 3.5%🇪🇺⭐🕯️ Fiery #RejoinEU (@FirehorseP) November 17, 2021
In other news, supplies of small violins are the latest to suffer a UK shortage…
