Related video: Keir Starmer says he was in ‘discussions’ for second job – not ‘talks’
The chair of the UK government’s independent standards committee is urging ministers to restrict MPs from holding consultancy and advisory jobs, and warning politicians to stop stalling on the issue.
Lord Evans said his committee had made recommendations as far back as 2018 on the issue – and that if an MP was spending a “huge amount of time” on a second job it would “get in the way of their ability to work in support of their constituents”.
It comes as Tory grandee Malcolm Rifkind – a Cabinet minister during those dramatic events in 1990 – issued a warning to Boris Johnson that he is in danger of becoming “a liability” to the Conservatives and of being toppled by his own MPs, as Margaret Thatcher was.
“I was in the Cabinet when [Ms] Thatcher was required to fall on her sword ... no prime minister can assume they’re free from that risk,” he said, amid continued anger at Mr Johnson’s botched attempt to clear ex-MP Owen Paterson for breaching lobbying rules, which ended in a humiliating government U-turn.
Follow our live coverage below
