Former Brexit secretary David Davis to earn £3,000 an hour as adviser to major Tory donor JCB

Ex-cabinet minister David Davis will rake in more than £3,000 per hour as an adviser to the manufacturing giant JCB.

The former Brexit secretary declared he will earn £60,000 for 20 hours work each year for the firm, whose billionaire chairman Lord Bamford is a major donor to the Conservative party and the Leave campaign.

The large pay packet - which breaks down to around £50 per minute - would be in addition to his basic MPs salary of £77,379 per year.

Critics said it was "disgusting" Mr Davis had been offered the role having "failed to properly plan for Brexit and storming out of the cabinet".

However the Conservative MP said he had consulted the ministerial watchdog about the role, which he added to the parliamentary register of members interests.

His update to the register said: "From 1 January 2019 to 1 January 2020, external advisor to JCB, Rocester ST14 5J. I will receive £60,000 per annum, paid quarterly. Hours: approx. 20 hrs a year. I consulted ACoBA about this appointment."

Mr Davis also registered he had been made a board member of German manufacturing company Mansfelder Kupfer Und Messing GMBH from December to June 2019, for which he will receive £36,085.

JCB's chairman Lord Bamford is a prominent Leave supporter, who was nominated for a peerage by David Cameron, when he was in Downing Street.

Boris Johnson delivered what was seen as a leadership speech from JCB's Staffordshire headquarters last week, where he faced a grilling from journalists.

Ian Murray, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign, criticised Mr Davis, adding: "What an absolute insult to the people of the UK who have been left facing deeper austerity and increased living costs as a result of the calamitous Brexit he campaigned for and still supports.

"There are very real consequences of the decisions he made, and workers in the construction and manufacturing sectors will be among those to pay the price.

"He should be thoroughly ashamed, but the hardcore Brexiteers who lied to the people of Britain have no shame. It's time to take matters out of the hands of people like David Davis and give control to the public through a people's vote."

Shadow cabinet office minister John Trickett added: “What David Davis will get paid in 20 hours takes most people over two years to earn.

"But then again, under the Tories it’s one set of rules for the few and another for the many.

“Most people when reading this will no doubt think “snouts in the trough”, and this is exactly why Labour has repeatedly warned of the damage to the reputation of parliament caused by arrangements like this and why they need to stop.”

Mr Davis and Mr Johnson both resigned from the cabinet last year in protest at Theresa May's Brexit deal.