Should MPs be banned from paid second jobs?

MPs are paid to be MPs. Simple enough. But some also earn money elsewhere — from media work, legal practice, consultancy, speeches, books and more. That has long made voters ask a very fair question: when is outside work useful real-world experience, and when does it become a conflict of interest?

Richard Burgon’s Members of Parliament (Prohibition of Second Jobs) (Motion) Bill has now put that question formally back in front of the Commons. It is a Private Member’s Bill, currently listed at 2nd reading. Rather than directly rewriting the rulebook itself, it would require the Leader of the House of Commons to move a motion banning MPs from paid second jobs.

What MPs can do now

MPs are not currently banned from having paid second jobs. They are, however, already banned from being paid to give parliamentary advice — the classic “pay me and I’ll help you in Westminster” problem. They must also register outside earnings above the rules’ thresholds.

The argument has sharpened because the sums are no longer small-change Westminster trivia. In a 1 July debate, MPs cited Sky News Westminster Accounts figures showing £11m in outside earnings declared since the 2024 election. The top 10 MPs accounted for more than £7m of that.

For supporters of a ban, those figures are the point. Being an MP is a full-time public job, they argue, and large outside payments can raise questions about time, loyalty and influence — even where no rule has been broken.

Ban, exceptions, or transparency?

The Government says it supports banning MPs’ second jobs outside very limited exceptions, such as keeping up a professional qualification. Minister Anna Turley said the Standards Committee should look at “time, money and influence” when judging outside roles, and admitted progress had been “glacial”.

But not everyone who wants tighter rules backs a blanket ban. Conservative MP Mike Wood argued that voters should judge MPs if hours and earnings are properly transparent. Liberal Democrats warned that a crude ban could force doctors, nurses or legal-aid barristers to give up professional registration. Greens and Plaid Cymru took a tougher line: Green MP Ellie Chowns backed a full ban, while Plaid’s Ben Lake said his party already prohibits MPs from taking another occupation.

So the dividing line is not simply “reform or no reform”. It is whether Parliament should set a broad ban with narrow carve-outs, or rely on disclosure, tighter limits and voter judgement.

What does the public mood say?

Recent polling is not a neat referendum on this exact bill. But the wider mood is pretty chilly towards political money. YouGov found 73% of Britons describe Nigel Farage as “sleazy”, and 77% say British governments generally are sleazy. Opinium found 56% think large political donations give wealthy people or organisations too much influence.