Lefty
Well-known member
Chris Skidmore, Kingswood (Conservative)
- Advisory board member for Oxford International Education Group, earning £10,000pa for 48-96 hours. He provides advice on higher education and international student recruitment.
Paul Maynard, Blackpool North and Cleveleys (Conservative)
- Consultant to ATM network Link Scheme, earning £6,250pa for 32 hours to be paid direct to charity
John Redwood, Wokingham (Conservative)
- Member of the advisory board of Epic Private Equity, earning £5,000pa for 12 hours
Andrew Lewer, Northampton South (Conservative)
- Consultant providing public policy advice to Penelope Thornton Hotels, earning £4,800pa for 48 hours
Dean Russell, Watford (Conservative)
- Consultancy on marketing and training content for business education provider EPIFNY Consulting, earning £2,100 for 30 hours in 2021
Just looked at the last five on the list and although I'd lock Redwood up for all sorts of reasons, I can't say I have any issues with these. So it is about where you draw lines for me.
I don't like Redwood but it isn't £5k a year that puts him in the pocket of private Equity.
As for the others, they strike me as companies or bodies making some sensible decisions in engaging these people, who may provide some good advice, which they pay for at a reasonable commercial rate. The MP's themselves, if not paid, might not do this kind of thing. Which might be a lose lose.
The issue is corruption, isn't it? Or it is MP's not fulfilling their prime duty to the constituency and the country.
He who pays the piper calls the tune, so those MP's being paid exorbitant amounts of money for very little work are not earning it honestly, they are getting it for who they know, so they haven't 'earned' it as such. Or else it is for what they can influence/manipulate for the company behind the scenes. If everything was above board, that wouldn't be needed.
Of course if someone is paid a large amount of money, but is actually doing a lot of work, then that does mean they are putting constituents second and should be recalled, in my view.
The post parliamentary careers and rewards should be subject to far more scrutiny too. The status quo is perpetuated far more cleverly with a nod and a wink and a handshake.
