£1.7m paid to Tory MPs in consultancy fees, Labour analysis shows

Labour has accused Boris Johnson of having “something rotten at the heart” of his party as opposition analysis showed Tory MPs have received more than £1.7 million in consultancy fees since the start of 2021.

Anneliese Dodds, Labour Party chairwoman, said that one in seven Conservative MPs was taking money from outside interests.

She said that in the last year 50 Tory backbenchers and former ministers had been paid by management or consultancy firms.

Ms Dodds said: “There is something rotten at the heart of Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party if one in seven of his MPs is taking money from outside interests.

“Every day Conservative MPs act as if there’s one rule for them and another for everyone else.”

Labour’s analysis showed Sir John Redwood, the MP for Wokingham, had earned the most in fees, at £194,810.

This was followed by Sutton Coldfield MP Andrew Mitchell (£115,833), Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier (£82,500), Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond (£81,666) and North East Bedfordshire MP Richard Fuller (£79,899).

The analysis does not include income from other outside work but calculates that £1,712,357 has been paid to Conservative MPs in consultancy fees.

Ms Dodds said: “The Prime Minister needs to show leadership, heed Labour’s call to ban MPs from having paid directorships and consultancy roles and put an end to Tory sleaze.”

Earlier, Health Secretary Sajid Javid – who previously held two advisory roles before returning to the Cabinet – said MPs having second jobs could benefit Parliament.

He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain programme: “MPs… can have external interests, and I’ve had them myself when I was a backbench MP, but I think it’s important, just as I did and others do, to be very open and transparent about that and to make sure you’re following all the rules.

“Of course, no lobbying under any circumstances and whether they’ve made the right decision or not, as long as they’re totally transparent, that is ultimately a judgment for their constituents to make.”