A prominent Greater Manchester MP has defended asking for £500 per HOUR in an interview with a fake consulting company.
Sir Graham Brady, who has been the Conservative MP for Altrincham and Sale West since 1997, was caught in the sting set up by campaign group Led By Donkeys. Video footage shared widely to social media shows him telling a fake interviewer he would expect to be paid around £6,000 per day or £60,000 per year for consultancy work.
In the video he also confirms he would have time for what would have been his fifth job including his role as a member of parliament. In a statement, Sir Brady - who is stepping down at the next election - said he had received 'a number of approaches regarding future opportunities' and added he made it 'clear' that any arrangement would be 'transparent'.
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During the conversation, Sir Brady tells the interviewer there are 'always possible emergency occasions' when he may have to back out of commitments 'if something dramatic is happening in British politics'.
"But in the normal course of events, yes, I would be able to plan those things and make sure that I could be free to attend," he says.
He also tells the interviewer his seniority in the Tory party, as head of the 1922 Committee, means he is 'given a little bit of flexibility that perhaps not all my colleagues would have' in regards to taking an additional job, saying 'I don't think that would be a problem at all'.
He told the fake interviewer that 'a little bit of notice would be helpful' but that he would 'seek to be available whenever needed'.
When asked about potentially setting up meetings during a visit to London, he told the interviewer he was bound to declare any financial interest he had in any arrangements when approaching those in government.
MPs Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng were also caught in the sting, each requesting £10,000 per day to work for the fake company.
In a statement, Sir Brady said: "Having decided to leave the Commons at the next election, I have received a number of approaches regarding future opportunities. I did have an exploratory discussion with someone purporting to be recruiting an international advisory board for a South Korean investment house.
"I made it clear that any arrangement would have to be completely transparent and that whilst a Member of Parliament, I would only act within the terms of the Code of Conduct. I also made it clear that whilst I could be flexible in attending international meetings in person, this would be subject to some important votes or commitments in Westminster."
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