Labour’s Steve backs bid to ban second-job MPs

Labour’s parliamentary hopeful for East Devon, Steve Race, has backed banning MPs from holding ‘second jobs’.

This week, Labour pushed for a Commons vote for the ban.

If a vote had been allowed and won, MPs would no longer have been allowed to hold paid directorships and consultancies, a measure Labour has already committed to after the next election.

A total of 52 MPs are registered as company directors, including 41 Tories, seven Labour, and two Lib Dems - but the Tories voted against the proposal.

Steve says that people in East Devon need to know that when they vote they are electing someone who will represent them directly, and not be swayed by what they may owe to the interests of others.

Steve Race said: “The job of an MP has changed substantially over the years, with our MPs now required to do much more in the role than simply turn up to vote in Parliament.”

MPs are paid a full-time wage of £67,000 - and he says that ‘in return’ they should devote themselves to the job full time.

He said: “Tory MP Malcolm Rifkind claimed it’s unrealistic to expect MPs to live on £67,000, almost three times the average salary in East Devon.

“I believe we need to make sure our politics is beyond reproach; the only way we can improve the perception of our politics is by taking the actions necessary to prove that our politicians are in Parliament for the sole purpose of working on behalf of their constituents.

“Frankly, I think it’s a disgrace that Tory MPs voted this down, and I was disappointed to see that Hugo Swire wasn’t present for the vote.

“If I’m elected to Parliament in May, I can promise that representing the people of East Devon will be my main and only job.”

Other candidates are Andrew Chapman (UKIP), Hugo Swire (Con), Stuart Mole (Lib Dem) and Claire Wright (Ind).