27 March 2023 , 16:54
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Rishi Sunak has said he will not clamp down on money-hungry MPs moonlighting with second jobs.
The PM dismissed calls to tighten the rules after ex-ministers Kwasi Kwarteng and Matt Hancock were filmed offering to advise a fake South Korean company for up to £10,000-a-day.
Downing Street insisted “MPs having second jobs can contribute to their work in Parliament”.
The PM’s spokesman said he believes the “primary job” of MPs, who earn a salary of £84,000, “must be to support their constituents”.
But he argued the current system, which has no limit on how many hours they can work outside Westminster or on how much they can earn, “strikes the right balance”.
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Matt Hancock was secretly filmed offering to work for £10,000 a day (Led by Donkeys)Mr Kwarteng and Mr Hancock were duped by campaign group Led By Donkeys into taking part in job interviews via video link to join the board of a fictional company.
Former health secretary Mr Hancock said that his daily rate was £10,000, while ex-chancellor Mr Kwarteng indicated to a fake employee of the pretend outfit that his monthly rate would be no less than five figures.
Mr Kwarteng went on to suggest he could "work with" the firm's offer of paying him between £8,000 and £12,000 for each of the six annual meetings of its non-existent international advisory board.
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He boasted that he could arrange for foreign businessmen to meet Boris Johnson as he touted himself to the made-up company.
And he suggested Tory whips would allow him to bunk off from Parliament to fly around the world.
In the job interview, Mr Kwarteng trumpeted his “brief’ experience as chancellor of the exchequer.
Kwasi Kwarteng suggested he could arrange for businessmen to meet Boris Johnson (Led by Donkeys)He was sacked as chancellor after just 38 days after his mini-Budget caused an economic meltdown that sent people’s mortgage costs soaring.
Tory MPs Sir Graham Brady and Stephen Hammond were also filmed taking part in interviews.
Liberal Democrats deputy leader Daisy Cooper last night blasted the “shameless” MPs.
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“They gave out Covid contracts to their mates, blew a hole in the public finances and now they want to cash in before they check out. They’re shameless," she said.
Policing minister Chris Philip said the videos of the MPs offering to work for the fictional firm was a “pretty unedifying spectacle”.
Asked if Mr Hancock was worth £10,000-a-day, he replied: "I wouldn't pay him £10,000."
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