Friday, March 18, 2022
Another day, another broken Johnson promise
The news that there will be no restrictions on MPs having second jobs, after all, is a direct breach of a promise made by Boris Johnson, who originally suggested the curbs amid a sleaze scandal which provoked widespread Tory rebellion.
The Guardian reports that at least 20 Conservative MPs lobbied a committee investigating new rules on second jobs and their behaviour in the Commons chamber, with many saying they strongly disagreed with time limits on outside work:
The pledge to put tighter restrictions on second jobs came amid a public outcry over lobbying breaches by the former MP Owen Paterson, whom MPs were initially whipped to try and protect, and a furore over former attorney general Geoffrey Cox being paid nearly £6m as a lawyer since joining parliament, voting by proxy on days he was undertaking paid work.
Two cabinet ministers, Dominic Raab and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, expressly backed a time limit on second jobs last autumn, suggesting it could be 10-15 hours a week.
But with pressure off Johnson’s premiership because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ministers submitted their view to the Commons standards committee that a time limit or ceiling on such earnings would be “impractical”.
The Labour leader Keir Starmer said Johnson was breaking his promise to the public to tackle second jobs. “He said he was going to deal with second jobs and there was going to be this cap,” he told reporters.
“That was his proposal at the height of this scandal of his own making. Now, as soon as he gets the opportunity, he is breaking his promise yet again. It goes to the heart of the problem with this prime minister, which is this problem of trust and moral authority.”
The Guardian can reveal a number of former cabinet ministers have also expressed concern at the proposals by the Commons standards committee to limit outside earnings, paid political consultancy, and also to introduce new principles of respect in the code of conduct and limit abusive language in the Commons.
So, shock, horror. turkeys will vote against Christmas every time.
The Guardian reports that at least 20 Conservative MPs lobbied a committee investigating new rules on second jobs and their behaviour in the Commons chamber, with many saying they strongly disagreed with time limits on outside work:
The pledge to put tighter restrictions on second jobs came amid a public outcry over lobbying breaches by the former MP Owen Paterson, whom MPs were initially whipped to try and protect, and a furore over former attorney general Geoffrey Cox being paid nearly £6m as a lawyer since joining parliament, voting by proxy on days he was undertaking paid work.
Two cabinet ministers, Dominic Raab and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, expressly backed a time limit on second jobs last autumn, suggesting it could be 10-15 hours a week.
But with pressure off Johnson’s premiership because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ministers submitted their view to the Commons standards committee that a time limit or ceiling on such earnings would be “impractical”.
The Labour leader Keir Starmer said Johnson was breaking his promise to the public to tackle second jobs. “He said he was going to deal with second jobs and there was going to be this cap,” he told reporters.
“That was his proposal at the height of this scandal of his own making. Now, as soon as he gets the opportunity, he is breaking his promise yet again. It goes to the heart of the problem with this prime minister, which is this problem of trust and moral authority.”
The Guardian can reveal a number of former cabinet ministers have also expressed concern at the proposals by the Commons standards committee to limit outside earnings, paid political consultancy, and also to introduce new principles of respect in the code of conduct and limit abusive language in the Commons.
So, shock, horror. turkeys will vote against Christmas every time.
Comments:
<< Home
This,Partygate,P&O and other happenings being buried under the carpet cos of Ukraine dominating events.THEY MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
Post a Comment
<< Home
