Leeds MP sees attempt to ban MPs from having paid second jobs blocked by government

A shout of “object” was heard in the Commons when the title of the Members of Parliament (Prohibition of Second Jobs) (Motion) Bill was read out, meaning it could not progress.

Labour backbencher Richard Burgon (Leeds East) had tabled the Bill, which would have required the Government to move a motion prohibiting MPs having second jobs.

It comes after the Government suggested it would be “impractical” to set a time limit on how much work MPs could undertake outside of Parliament in other jobs, despite ministers previously appearing to back the idea.

Raising a point of order, Mr Burgon said: “The Conservative Party is stacked with MPs lining their pockets with second jobs but the Tory Government has repeatedly blocked my Bill to ban MPs’ second jobs.

“So what can be done to force the Government to act to ban MPs from having second jobs, as the public wants us to do and as this Bill provides?”

Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans explained how the private members’ bill (PMB) process worked and how such objections had to be taken.

The issue of second jobs was brought into sharp focus with the recent standards row.

This included former Conservative minister Owen Paterson being found to have broken the rules by repeatedly lobbying on behalf of two companies for which he was acting as a paid consultant – Randox and Lynn’s Country Foods.

When MPs were asked to approve his recommended 30 sitting-day suspension, the Government launched a botched bid to shelve his punishment and Mr Paterson later resigned.

PMBs are proposed by backbench MPs and are considered during Friday sittings, which run until 2.30pm.

Any PMBs listed for a second reading but not debated can be blocked if just one MP shouts “object” when the title is read out.

Several other PMBs were also blocked on Friday, including the Hunting Trophy Import (Prohibition) Bill.

Labour former minister John Spellar, raising a point of order, said: “For this Bill, which has overwhelming public support and support in this chamber, is there any way of getting across to the public that the Government, having failed to produce their own promised Bill, are actually blocking this one?

“And also to assure them that this Bill will be coming back in the next Parliament so we can get rid of this vile trade.”

Mr Evans replied: “I think he’s just done it.”

On Thursday, Commons Leader Mark Spencer said the Government has “committed to a ban on importing hunting trophies from nearly 7,000 species”, and the legislation will be brought forward “as soon as parliamentary time allows”.

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