Shameless Geoffrey Cox worked at a Caribbean corruption inquiry on 11 days when the Commons sat - while making just one speech in Parliament.
The QC is at the centre of a new sleaze storm after earning more than £1m from legal work in the last year. He clocked in 22 hours a week on average - on top of his £81k job as a Tory MP.
Yesterday Downing Street insisted any MP who is not “visible” to voters is “not doing their job”.
But records suggest Sir Geoffrey appeared in a corruption inquiry on behalf of the British Virgin Islands government on 11 separate days the Commons sat this year.
There were three in May, two in June, two in September and four in October.
Some were in person on a trip to the Caribbean tax haven - while most were virtual after his return to the UK.
By comparison, he has spoken just once in the Commons chamber in the last 18 months.
The former Attorney General used his valuable time to support to a Bill tearing up the fixed-term parliaments Act - and to praise the minister behind it as “deeply competent and completely on top of her brief”.
That was on September 13. The last time he’d spoken in Parliament was in January 2020, when he spoke about human rights and leaving the EU.
The stark difference comes as Boris Johnson tries to shake off pressure over sleaze by rushing to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
The Prime Minister will give a 4.30pm press conference urging nations to reach an emissions deal.
But Labour ’s Ed Miliband suggested the trip was simply a “useful way of distracting from the sleaze surrounding the Tory party”.
Embattled Mr Johnson has axed a planned Chequers away day for Cabinet ministers tomorrow - holding it in No10 instead.
And last night, Tory vice chair Andrew Bowie quit his role amid reports he was unwilling to defend the government publicly over sleaze.
Sir Geoffrey has been reported to the Commons Standards Commissioner after he appeared to do some of his legal work from his office in Parliament.
The September 14 session was part of the corruption inquiry in the British Virgin Islands.
At one point, he appeared to refer to the Commons division bell going off to trigger a vote.
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has accused Sir Geoffrey of “an egregious, brazen breach of the rules” by using his Commons office.
She has written to standards commissioner Kathryn Stone asking her for “guidance on beginning a formal investigation on this matter”.
Ms Rayner fumed: “You can be an MP serving your constituents or a barrister working for a tax haven – you can’t be both.
“Boris Johnson needs to make his mind up as to which one Geoffrey Cox will be.”
Last night Chief Whip Mark Spencer rang Sir Geoffrey - who is thought to be abroad - for what sources claimed was a dressing-down.
Yet Sir Geoffrey issued a defiant statement today saying he had permission from the Chief Whip himself to visit the Caribbean tax haven - and even to vote remotely in Parliament from there
The shameless MP’s office boasted he “regularly works 70-hour weeks” and constituency work is “given primary importance”.
He added “he does not believe that he breached the rules” over the claims he took part in a BVI virtual hearing from his Commons office.
That is despite the Code of Conduct saying MPs can only use Parliamentary resources “in support of their parliamentary duties”.
The statement insisted he was not “defending” the Caribbean tax haven or any wrongdoing, but had instead worked to “assist the public inquiry in getting to the truth.”
It went on: “Sir Geoffrey’s view is that it is up to the electors of Torridge and West Devon whether or not they vote for someone who is a senior and distinguished professional in his field and who still practices that profession.
“That has been the consistent view of the local Conservative Association and although at every election his political opponents have sought to make a prominent issue of his professional practice, it has so far been the consistent view of the voters of Torridge and West Devon.
“Sir Geoffrey is very content to abide by their decision.”
Health Secretary Sajid Javid refused to comment on Sir Geoffrey’s case - but confirmed MPs should not be using their Westminster offices for outside work.
He told Sky News: “If it’s your Parliamentary office or any other parliamentary stationery or anything that’s funded or supported by the taxpayer, of course that should not be used.”
