BORIS Johnson has refused to back an outright ban on second jobs for MPs, a spokesperson has confirmed.
No 10 said the Prime Minister believes in the value of second jobs for MPs, saying a ban would have a negative impact on MPs who work as doctors and nurses.
There have been calls for second jobs for MPs to be banned in the wake of the lobbying scandal that left the UK Government in a U-turn and led to the resignation of an MP.
Now-former Tory MP Owen Paterson was found to have breached lobbying rules in the House of Commons.
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MPs wanted a vote on Paterson’s suspension but that was interrupted by the UK Government who had planned to transform the way MPs are punished for breaking the rules.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said: “So the Prime Minister doesn’t back an outright ban on second jobs. ”
They continued: “As I believe was said in the House yesterday, a ban on second jobs will catch those who still work in roles such as doctors and nurses.”
The House of Commons “can and historically has” benefited from MPs having second jobs,” No 10 said.
The spokesperson added that “outside experience, where this is reasonable and an MP’s parliamentary duties can still take priority” could help inform the House.
But they would not be drawn on which professions were deemed acceptable.
They said: “It’s incumbent on them (MPs) to be able to demonstrate to the electorate that they are working on their behalf.”
Johnson believes MPs should put their job in Parliament first, No 10 added.
No 10 said Johnson believed that an “MP’s primary job is and must be to serve their constituents and to represent their interests in Parliament”.
They said: “They should be visible in their constituencies and available to help constituents with their constituency matters.
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“If they’re not doing that, they’re not doing their job and will rightly be judged on that by their constituents.”
Meanwhile, the Government will bring forward a motion to unpick the amendment passed last week which would have set up a committee to review standards procedures, No 10 has confirmed.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said: “We recognise the strong views on this particular point and having listened to those again yesterday afternoon, we will table a motion tonight for next week to formalise the change of approach by unpicking the amendment.”
The motion will rescind the Leadsom amendment and the proposed committee, and Downing Street said it would allow for the Commons to approve the standards report, while also recognising Owen Paterson is no longer an MP.”
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