Outgoing Tory MPs take lucrative second jobs and ‘swan off on jollies’

A cohort of Conservative MPs standing down before the next election have netted jobs worth millions of pounds and have taken dozens of all-expenses-paid trips funded by foreign governments and lobbyists, the Observer can reveal.

But analysis by the Observer has found that 34 members of that group, the vast majority of whom are current or former ministers, listed a net total of over £2.5m of expected annual income in the register of MPs interests.

MPs’ second jobs have been at the centre of growing controversy over the last two years, in the aftermath of separate major lobbying scandals surrounding former Conservative MP Owen Paterson and former prime minister, now foreign secretary, David Cameron.

While the government promised a crackdown on the practice, planned proposals to strengthen Acoba – the regulator that nominally oversees MPs’ outside work but operates with limited powers and a shoestring budget – have yet to materialise.

“Rather than focusing on second jobs, these politicians should be spending their time and energy on delivering for their constituents and the British people,” said Lucy Powell, Labour shadow leader of the House of Commons.

Rose Zussman, the senior policy manager of Transparency International, added that even MPs standing down “have a duty to represent their constituents” until they leave.