Second job reforms needed to clean up politics, says Danczuk

Rochdale Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Simon Danczuk

Rochdale’s Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Simon Danczuk, has welcomed proposals that are currently being considered by Gordon Brown to ban MPs from having second paid jobs.

In the last week figures have been released in a confidential paper by Helen Goodman, the deputy Leader of the Commons, which show that 66 per cent of Tory MPs, 37 per cent of Liberal Democrats and 19 per cent of Labour MPs have other jobs.

The paper discusses whether outside jobs should be restricted and Mr Danczuk said that such a move would help restore public trust in politicians.

“In Rochdale it’s clear that we need a full time MP,” he said. “Our MP, Paul Rowen, is busy carrying out paid consultancy work for other councils and working for a property investment company in Uganda. If the Lib Dems are so intent on cleaning up politics then I hope our MP will support these proposals and give up his additional two jobs.”

The proposals have received strong backing by Chris Leslie, a former minister and Labour MP for Shipley. Writing in the most recent Fabian Society magazine, he said: "Our politicians need to set an example and act fairly at a time when ordinary people have such low expectations of the behaviour of elected representatives. This needs to go beyond salary restraint. MPs should serve their constituents first and foremost, regarding the taxpayer as their paymaster above all others.

"If MPs have excessive outside earnings from consultancies and directorships, then people perceive that they are diverted from the public interest – or worse, that they are exploiting their public status."