Tag Archives: MPs

Should MPs have second jobs?

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 31st January 2016 - 12:22 pm

There’s been a bit of a stooshie this week about SNP MP Philippa Whitford earning a small fortune working as a locum consultant for the NHS. From the Irvine Times (so I don’t have to link to the Daily Fail):

It’s been revealed that Philippa Whitford MP worked seven times for the cash-strapped hospital over the Christmas period.

The SNP’s Westminister health spokesperson earned £57.60 an hour on August 20-21, the equivalent of £490 a day, as well as working on September 25 during conference season.

But Dr Whitford says it is “absolutely ludicrous” to make an issue of her work saying it had no effect on her parliamentary duties.

This, for me, is an example of bashing political opponents for the sake of it. If MPs want to do other work outside Parliament, that’s up to them and their constituents. In some cases, it’s particularly important that they do, if they have professional skills to maintain. If they are working in public services, they will also have an insight into what is going on in these services and the pressures that people are under.

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged second jobs | 15 Comments

Should MPs take second jobs? Majority of Lib Dem members say ‘No’.

By Stephen Tall | Tue 30th July 2013 - 8:35 pm

Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. More than 600 party members have responded, and we’re publishing the full results.

54% of Lib Dem members say ‘No’ to MPs taking second jobs

Which of the following best reflects your view?

29%

54% – MPs

…

Posted in LDV Members poll | 4 Comments

Opinion: Is it too much to ask that our MPs understand the health impact of air pollution?

By Stephen Knight | Fri 31st May 2013 - 8:55 am

The events of last week in Woolwich totally dominated the media, and quite rightly so. However there was an opinion poll that was published last week that also deserves some attention.

In April Dods interviewed 101 Members of Parliament – that is almost one in six of them – about their attitudes towards air pollution as a contribution to premature deaths. The MPs interviewed were broadly representative of Parliament, with 47 Conservative MPs taking part, along with 40 Labour MPs, 9 Liberal Democrat MPs and 5 MPs from other parties.

Why is this poll so significant?

The simple answer is that …