LAMMY CALLS FOR MPS SECOND JOBS TO BE REVIEWED DESPITE TAKING HOME £200K ON TOP OF SALARY

David Lammy has called for MPs second jobs to be reviewed, despite taking home more than £200,000 from alternate sources of income. Mr Lammy conceded that he would support a review into members of parliament holding second jobs, saying Sir Keir Starmer is "right to say that we need to fix this problem". Speaking to Sky News, he added: "It will be one of those issues that Parliament is going to have to determine."

The Labour Shadow Foreign Secretary has earned £243,800 since the start of the current Parliament in December 2019.

This is in addition to his £84,000 a year salary as an MP.

Mr Lammy said he would quit any extra work he does alongside being an MP if parliament decided to ban MPs from having second jobs.

He said: "If Parliament determines that - no second jobs at all - we can't have people who are doctors - can't have people who are lawyers - one job only, being an MP - then I will have to live with that like everybody else."

Defending his work outside of parliament, the MP for Tottenham said: "The truth is, when you're in opposition and you're wanting to do a job like being Shadow Foreign Secretary and your party's just lost an election, there is no money in the coffers.

"You do try and raise money to help employ people so that you can properly do your job."

Asked whether all the money went to paying staff, or whether he kept some himself, Mr Lammy replied: "Some of that money goes towards paying for the things so I can do my job as best as I can. Those are the sorts of decisions that you make.

"As I've said, MPs have done speeches and things, corporate speeches, after-dinner speeches for years and years and years and years. There are lots of Conservative colleagues doing it.

"There are other Labour MPs that have done it. If people determine that they don't want to see that, then that will come to an end, and it won't happen".

The Labour party reiterated its commitment to reviewing MPs' second jobs after former Tory cabinet ministers Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwartend were caught in a sting operation by campaign group Led By Donkeys.

The MPs were recorded interviewing for consultancy jobs which would see them earn even more money on top of their parliamentary salaries.

Mr Hancock and Mr Kwarteng did not break any rules but were accused of putting their constituents second above extra cash.

Labuor Deputy Leader Angela Rayner said their behaviour is "beyond shameful".

She added: "Being an MP isn't a second job. It is the job. Labour will put an end to this racket."

The Shadow Secretary of State for Digital Culture Media and Sport admitted that Mr Lammy is likely to be impacted by a ban on second jobs, saying: "Would David Lammy, his particular position, fall foul of the ban on second jobs?

"Probably it would... That would be something he would have to have to consider at that point."

But she defended the Shadow Foreign Secretary saying his media appearances are "different" to paid consultancy, despite Mr Lammy earning the most outside income than any other Labour MP.

2023-03-30T14:59:41Z dg43tfdfdgfd