Giz a (second) job

by Alan Tyers

Today’s the day that MPs either have to forgo their second, often highly lucrative, second jobs – or face having the nitty-gritty of how much they are trousering revealed to a contemptuous public.

Many Tories have already handed in their notice at various cosy-sounding part-time gigs which include “adviser to the JCB Group” (William Hague, £50,000 a year); Times newspaper columnist (Michael Gove, £60,000 a year; he says he spends about an hour a week on it); and “98 hours’ legal work, £18,750” (Bill Cash, Conservative MP for Stone).

A lot of their Labour opponents seem less willing to call it a day at their other jobs; and David Cameron has insisted that his top people all focus entirely on parliament, and the election, from December.

Is this because the Tories are a nobler bunch, more in tune with what the public wants from its politicians? Or is it because the Labour lot realise they’re going to lose the election and would thus be foolish to give up their other gigs as well?

Anyway, is it so bad for politicians to have a second job? On the one hand, one instinctively thinks that surely the business of running the country should be enough on anyone’s plate – and that 70 grand a year plus a regular trolley dash around Peter Jones at the public expense should be enough to keep body and soul together.

But what this expenses scandal has revealed above all is just how out of touch many MPs seem to be. Maybe actually having some other job – and I’m going to be ultra-generous and assume that they actually do something rather than just the corporate golf day and snoozing through a board meeting – might actually give them a taste of what business, media, professions, finance, industry or whatever is really like.

Perhaps, like a spoiled teenager being forced into a paper round instead of pocket money, they might learn how the world actually works.

Comments

[Pete Hogan]

When are these dozy bunch of grab alls which we call our MP's going to wake up to the fact that if they keep giving control of our affairs to the EU they are going to end up with as much power as your average Parish Councillor.

[The difference]

One day a florist goes to a barber for a haircut. After the cut he
asked about his bill and the barber replies, 'I cannot accept money
from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The florist was
pleased and left the shop.

When the barber goes to open his shop the next morning there is a
'thank you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door..

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his
bill, the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm
doing community service this week.' The cop is happy and leaves the
shop.

The next morning when the barber goes to open up there is a 'thank
you' card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Later that day, a college professor comes in for a haircut, and when
he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept
money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The professor
is very happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning when the barber opens his shop, there is a 'thank
you' card and a dozen different books, such as 'How to Improve
Your Business' and 'Becoming More Successful.'

Then, a Member of Parliament comes in for a haircut , and when he goes
to pay his bill the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept money from
you. I'm doing community service this week.' The Member of Parliament
is very happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning when the barber goes to open up, there are a dozen
Members of Parliament lined up waiting for a free haircut.

And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between
the citizens of our country and the Members of Parliament

[Shafted Britain]

Too true. Brown is currently after the gay and lesbian votes.

[Brian Wylie]

Cameron is demanding concentartion on the job by his MPs because, unlike many in the media and others, he doesn't see the next election as "cut and dried". He clearly remembers that the elctorate voted for Blair and Co three times in a row when it was quite clear after the first time they were not up to the job. Brown will say and do anything he believes it takes as he knows if he loses he has no future anywhere

[Bound to get elected.]

Straw wont let biggs out in case he runs for parliament.

We have so many crooks in this country they would all vote for him.

Bound to get elected.

[Dot.com]

Can't understand why Straw won't let Ronnie Biggs out of jail. What he did is nothing compared to the stabbings that occur now and that lot is out of jail waiting to do more.

Lord Ahmed killed someone on the motorway because he was too busy texting. He did only 12 weeks out of 16.

Let Ronnie Biggs out Straw!

[Dot.com]

What trolly dash round Peter Jones? The expenses scandel has been blown wide open and I would have thought that had put a stop to it.

[sally]

MPs should be jailed for the millons they have had of the tax payer just like Ronnie Biggs they stole,but they just laugh in our faces and walk the streets free so free Ronnie Biggs to be at home with them. All crooks together

[AJFrance]

"Anyway, is it so bad for politicians to have a second job?"
How many MP's second jobs (3rd&4th?) are Hospital Porter, Teaching Assistant, Home Help, Rubbish Collector, Cleaner, Postman, Traffic Warden? Surely these are the sorts of jobs that would help them stay in touch with the real world. If the MP's are seeking to truly reflect society then there would be at least a few of these jobs in Parliament!

[CLOUT and INFORMATION]

And how many of these freshly vacated posts will be filled again???

VERY VERY few.

WHY??

Because all these BIG companies that these people were employed with ONLY employed them for CLOUT and INFORMATION.

It is like most directors of companies.They are multi directors because they SCRATCH EACH OTHERS BACKS.

OLD BOYS!!!!!!

GET THEM OUT MAKE IT ILLEGAL.

How many of these well informed individuals always seem to make money on the stock market?

How many ripped their external employers expenses off like they ripped the tax payer off?

How many moats were getting cleaned up by big companies expenses?

ETC ETC ETC.

Did these mps get away with it working for someone else and also submit a claim for a big tv twice?????

Will the TAXMAN be investigating all these bogus claims or is the taxman under the thumb of the speaker as well???

[Peter]

Alan,

The MPs already HAVE second jobs.

The reason they've got the time is because they don't actually "run the country" as you put it. More than half of all regulations affecting the UK come ready-made from the EU and are simply rubber-stamped in Parliament to turn them into UK law.

The other half come from the likes of Brown and Mandelson and their cosy clique in Downing Street. These are not just MPs, they each have a second job called "the Minister for this or that". The ordinary MPs attend Parliament to "debate" the regulations devised by the clique but it's just for show - the Labour majority ensure that the regs get nodded through.

So, the MPs don't really have a lot to do. Plenty of time for second jobs and claiming their expenses.

Things might be even better after October. The Irish have been bribed by the EU with the promise of a bailout from their crashed economy if they vote for the Lisbon Treaty in the re-run of their referendum. If they do what they're told to do and vote "Yes" then the Treaty will be ratified and the UK Parliament, along with all the others in Europe, will become nothing more than window dressing, so there'll be even more time for second jobs.