Tory MPs give up adviser jobs ahead of expected rules change

Three Tory MPs have given up second jobs as advisers to firms ahead of a likely change to Parliament's rules.

Former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, ex-health minister Steve Brine and former Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith have made the move.

But another Conservative MP. Stephen McPartland, took on a new paid role with a financial firm in November.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said MPs will be banned from advising companies for money.

It comes after weeks of negative headlines about Conservative MPs taking on extra work.

Conservative MP Owen Paterson resigned in October after he was found to have lobbied the government on behalf of two companies who paid him. This is banned under Parliament's code of conduct.

His case has led to far greater scrutiny of MPs' behaviour.

But there is no suggestion that Mr Smith, Sir Iain or Mr Brine has done anything wrong.

More than 30 MPs have declared income from consultancy work on the Register of Members' Financial Interests in the past year.

On Monday, Parliament's standards committee called for a ban on MPs working as advisers for companies.

According to the latest register of MPs' interests, Mr Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, has given up three advisory roles.

He previously received payments from Hygen Energy at a rate of £60,000 for 20 hours' work a year; Simply Blue Management at the rate of £2,000 a month, for one to two hours' work; and MJM Marine at the rate of £60,000 a year, for 30 to 40 hours' work.

Sir Iain, MP for Chingford and Woodford Green, gave up being a member of the international advisory board of Tunstall Health Group, for which he received £20,000 a year for up to 30 hours' work.

And Mr Brine, MP for Winchester, relinquished his role as a strategic adviser to Sigma Pharmaceuticals at the rate of £1,666 a month, for up to eight hours' work.

But Mr McPartland, took on a new role on 1 November "providing strategic advice on expanding geographically into untackled markets and increasing investment activities" for the financial firm MBU Capital.

The Stevenage MP gets £5,000 a month for up to eight hours' work, according to the register.

Moves are afoot to change the rules on MPs' second jobs following Mr Paterson's resignation.

Labour is calling for almost all outside paid work to be banned, expect some "public service" roles, including working as A&E nurses and doctors, policing and serving as Army reservists.

The Conservative Party says it wants a ban on advisory roles, which would preclude Sir Iain, Mr Smith and Mr Brine's previous activities.

On Monday, Commons Standards Committee, chaired by Labour MP Chris Bryant, recommended ban on MPs "providing paid parliamentary advice, consultancy, or strategy services".

It said those taking on second jobs should first seek guidance from the standards commissioner.

And where an MP does take on additional work, they should ensure their contract says that they cannot lobby ministers or public officials on behalf of their employer, the committee added.