Leeds MP leads debate on 'ludicrous' second jobs as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage fails to attend

A Leeds MP has led a debate in Parliament on the topic of banning members from having second jobs, after urging the leader of Reform UK to attend.

The MP for Leeds East, Richard Burgon, issued the invite on Monday (June 30) to Nigel Farage, on the same day it was revealed he earned £270,000 for advertising gold bullion.

In the list of MPs' interests, Mr Farage declared that the payment from Direct Bullion was for work amounting to an estimated four hours per month across a three-month period.

In his letter to Mr Farage, Mr Burgon, said: “Since being elected as an MP, it has been reported that you have raked in more than £1.5m from outside earnings. Only former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has declared more.

“This is, of course, separate from the £5 million ‘gift’ that you received, which is now the subject of an investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.”

He added: “Being an MP is not only a privilege but also a well-paid job. MPs receive a salary of £98,599 a year, earning more than 95% of people in our country. The public are entitled to expect that job to have an MP’s full attention.

“When MPs are chasing lucrative second jobs, far from bringing in valuable outside experience, as some claim, it leaves them out of touch with the people they are elected to represent, many of whom are experiencing a deep cost-of-living crisis.

“If MPs want to earn huge amounts through private-sector work, they are, of course, entitled to. But they should resign from Parliament before doing so.

“As one of the MPs with the highest outside earnings, I appreciate that you are likely to disagree. I therefore hope you will attend the debate and explain why you believe Members of Parliament should be permitted to earn vast sums from second jobs.”

Mr Burgon continued to tackle the matter and Mr Farage’s incomings during the debate, saying: “Yesterday it came to light that he has been getting paid £22,500 an hour promoting a gold dealer. That takes his second job earnings to approaching £2 million in just two years since the general election.

“More than £22,000 per hour for a man who last year argued that a minimum wage of £10.85 per hour for young people in his constituency, in my constituency and in constituencies across the country may be too much. Some man of the people.”

He added: “I hope this bill can become law under the new Prime Minister.

“Some will say that my restrictions are too tough. They are tough. But trust in politics has been damaged over many years, and rebuilding that trust requires bold action. And that’s what the public wants.

“Parliament must show that it understands that the rot runs deep, and it cannot be tackled with half measures. Not more reviews. Not more excuses, action is what’s needed. So I hope that the next Prime Minister will help clean up our politics and defend our democracy, starting by ending the ludicrous gravy train of MP’s second jobs, which quite rightly turns the public’s stomach.”

The debate concluded that it had “considered the potential merits of a prohibition of second jobs” for MPs.

Reform UK was contacted for a statement but did not respond.