On 12 February 2022, without any votes against, Pavilion Labour’s GC adopted the resolution below expressing our concerns that the UK still does not ban MPs from holding second jobs, specifically lobbying.
Stengthening Standards in Public Life
This Party notes that:
- On the 17th of last November, Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner, along with other senior Labour MPs, introduced this Opposition Day motion:
That this house:
- endorses the 2018 recommendation from the Committee on Standards in Public Life that Members should be banned from any paid work to provide services as a Parliamentary strategist, adviser or consultant;
- instructs the Committee on Standards to draw up proposals to implement this and to report by 31 January 2022; and
- orders that on the expiry of fifteen sitting days from the date on which the Committee makes its report to the House, if no debate has been held on a substantive motion relating to recommendations in that report, the Speaker shall give precedence to a substantive motion on the recommendations in that report tabled thereafter by any Member.
The motion was, predictably, defeated and while the Prime Minister had ‘tweeted’ that he would bring forward similar proposals, this appears to be a case of ‘kicking it into the long grass’. We may presume that no satisfactory proposals will be adopted by the Conservative majority in Parliament.
2. This occurred within the context of a wider debate on lobbying and second jobs, in which Starmer contrasted his own leadership on the issue with Johnson’s cowardice and covering up. Johnson and the right-wing press countered by accusing Labour of hypocrisy and insincerity, with reference to, for example, Starmer’s work for Mishcon de Reya.
3. The Labour Leader must keep up the pressure on this issue and not allow it to be forgotten. He must also show leadership in proving that Labour is serious about ending corruption among MPs. Labour, and its leader, must lead by example.
4. This cannot be done on the basis that Labour MPs will not give up their right to engage in these corrupt practices unless the Tories do. There is no reputable argument that it would be unfair or disadvantageous for the Labour Party to unilaterally ban MPs’ lobbying jobs.
5. Labour Party rules already require MPs to “meet the highest standards of probity” (LPRB 5.II.3.A.i) and the NEC to “maintain a healthy Party at all levels, engaged in the community upholding the highest standards in public life (LPRB 1.VIII.2.C).
6. Under the new rules introduced at Conference last year, the NEC has the power to implement a ban on Labour MPs’ taking these lobbying jobs:
2.II.11 The NEC may issue guidance on the standards of behaviour and conduct expected of the Labour Party’s publicly elected representatives, Peers and its candidates for public office.
2.II.12 The NEC may consider any conduct by the Labour Party’s publicly elected representatives, Peers and its candidates of public office that does not comply with guidance issued pursuant to Ch.2.I.X.A as conduct that is prejudicial and grossly detrimental to the Labour Party.
and to make specific provision for clarifying and resolving any issue of interpretation relating to such a ban:
1.VIII.4.A The NEC shall have the power to issue guidance and procedural rules about the exercise of its powers of adjudication which all units and individual members of the Party must follow.
7. Such a ban would not be hard to formulate: the Code of Conduct for Members of the Scottish Parliament already includes one (at 5.7):
members…should not accept any paid work to provide services as a Parliamentary strategist, adviser or consultant, for example, advising on Parliamentary affairs or on how to influence the Parliament and its members. (This does not prohibit a member from being remunerated for activity, which may arise because of, or relate to, membership of the Parliament, such as journalism or broadcasting, involving political comment or involvement in representative or presentational work, such as participation in delegations, conferences or other events.)
This Party therefore asks Keir Starmer to announce, subject if required to consultation with individual NEC members but otherwise without delay, that he intends to formulate a binding guidance note which will:
- ban Labour MPs from Parliamentary strategist, adviser or consultant jobs,
- commit to enforcing the ban robustly under Labour Party Rules, and
- provide a credibly objective process for mandatory pre-approval in cases of doubt;
and to bring it to the NEC for its endorsement and issuance under Rule 2.II.11 (as quoted above) as soon as possible.
Proposed by Regency Branch
Agreed nem con by Brighton Pavilion CLP’s General Committee
12 February 2022
Brighton Pavilion Labour Party 