.jpg?itok=XCaMl83B&offsetX=0&offsetY=92&cropWidth=1023&cropHeight=575&width=2048&height=1152&impolicy=dynamic "Scandal after scandal in British Parliament: ‘Are not corrupt’")
This is how prominent MPs earned Geoffrey Cox millions as a lawyer, but only addressed the British Parliament once last year. He votes on bills remotely. From tax haven the Virgin Islands.
Climate summit overshadowed
“The United Kingdom is not a corrupt country,” Boris Johnson said yesterday at the climate summit in Glasgow. Attention should have been focused on the seriousness of the global temperature rise and on Britain as the savior of the climate angel.
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But Johnson could no longer avoid the scandal that had been brewing in Westminster for days. Speaking to international press, Johnson assured that “British MPs who break parliamentary rules will be punished.”
Stop suspension
The fuss started when conservative Owen Paterson was found to have broken lobbying rules late last month. The MP worked as a consultant to a medical company that won multi-million dollar contracts with the government to supply testing materials during the pandemic. To make matters worse, Paterson used his Westminster office to perform his second job. That is against parliamentary rules.
A clear case of conflict of interest, a parliamentary integrity committee ruled. Paterson was banned for a month. But Prime Minister Johnson jumped in the gap for his party colleague. He tried to delay Paterson’s suspension and avoid resignation by revising rules about side jobs. Johnson even won a vote in the House of Commons to change the rules.
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Meanwhile, the criticism grew. Opposition leader Keir Starmer accused Johnson of favoritism and permitting corruption. There was also dissatisfaction from Johnson’s own party. “It’s simply wrong if powerful people can make the rules for themselves,” said conservative Kevin Hollinrake. Paterson eventually saw no other way out and resigned.
More revelations
But the British media did not leave it at that. A week of revelations followed. The Sunday Times reported that wealthy entrepreneurs who donated £3million to the Conservative Party could be awarded a title of nobility and a place in the British House of Lords. The matter is now with the police.
The Guardian noted that 90 of the 360 Conservative MPs earn substantial extra income from a second job. And that in front of some Labor MPs. And the Prime Minister Johnson was also discredited. Because did he declare his free holiday to Spain in the luxury villa of a politician friend?
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The revelations are causing enormous reputational damage for Johnson’s conservative party. The so-called Tories are traditionally seen as an elitist party. The party of the rich who keep each other’s hands above their heads. As early as 1925, ‘buying’ a title of nobility was prohibited by law. But, many Brits now think, little has changed.
Side jobs not abolished
Boris Johnson is avoiding the confrontation as much as possible this week. He missed the debate about side jobs for politicians. Instead, he preferred to visit a hospital in Northumberland. During the climate summit, he eventually defended his party members and promises to tackle rule-breaking colleagues.
But he added today: the abolition of second jobs for British MPs is not an option for the time being.
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