Exclusive:MPs second jobs: Lee Anderson, Sajid Javid and two other senior Tories take ‘second jobs’ worth £500k per year

Four Conservative MPs have registered new second jobs which will see them earn almost half a million pounds per year collectively, and up to £2,700 per hour.

Former Tory ministers and the party’s current deputy chairman have accepted lucrative roles outside of Parliament, in some cases working in sectors related to their former cabinet briefs.

Lee Anderson has taken a job as presenter with GB News, despite previously making comments suggesting he was against the practice of MPs taking second jobs.

Polling has consistently shown that the public do not support MPs having second jobs, while NationalWorld recently reported that half the Conservative MPs who’ve said they will step down at the next election already have second jobs.

MPs told not to lobby governmet

Sajid Javid will serve as an adviser to Jersey-based global investment firm Centricus Partners, providing advice on the global economic outlook, geo-politics and financial markets.

Centricus is a $40 billion fund which invests primarily in financial services, infrastructure, media and sports. The firm submitted an unsuccessful bid to buy Chelsea Football Club last year.

As required, Javid wrote to the parliamentary watchdog, the Advisory Council on Business Appointments (Acoba), regarding the role, which advised him that he must not lobby the government on behalf of his new employer for two years from his last day in ministerial office.

Acoba noted that Centricus does have a “stakeholder relationship” with the Treasury and Javid served as Chancellor, but that he did not meet with the firm and the company does not have a funding relationship with the Treasury. Acoba also noted that Javid had previously worked in the sector prior to entering politics.

In an advice letter to Javid, Acoba wrote: “Given your previous roles, there are risks attached to your potential to offer unfair influence or access to government. This is especially relevant as Centricus has an interest in UK government policy. The Committee noted you have stated that your proposed role will not involve contact with the government.

“There are risks related to Centricus’ unknown clients - should you advise clients you had contact with during government, or if you were to advise on matters you had involvement in whilst at DHSC.”

Javid has also received large sums by two major banks for speaking engagements in recent months, earning around £60,000 in total for addressing executives at Deutsche Bank, his former employer, and HSBC.

Deputy Conservative Party Chair Lee Anderson will work for GB News as a presenter for eight hours per week, as of 1 March.

The controversial ‘Red Wall’ MP has previously criticised Labour MPs being paid to appear on television, suggesting that Jess Philips should donate her fee for hosting an episode of Have I Got News For You to a charity in her constituency.

Following the Owen Paterson scandal, which saw the former minister found guilty of breaching lobbying rules with one of his second jobs, Anderson shared his view of the matter on Facebook.

He wrote: “There is no place in politics for MPs to make financial gain from private companies in return for lobbying. We are paid handsomely for the job we do and if you need an extra £100,000 a year on top then you should really be looking for another job”.

The former Labour councillor, who represents Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, has been widely criticised for his comments on food banks and poverty, after saying that “generation after generation” of people “cannot budget” or make meals properly. He also said people had no excuse to go without food, as meals could be cooked "for about 30 pence a day".

Anderson will earn £100,000 for his role with GB News, on top of his £84,000 MP salary.

Former Justice Secretary Robert Buckland joined the London-based law firm Payne Hicks Beach as a senior counsel on 1 March. He will earn £48,000 per year for around 32 hours per month.

His former cabinet colleague, Gavin Williamson has rejoined an education firm which employed him for several months last year. The former education secretary will earn £50,000 per year at RTC Education, providing general strategic advice on international business expansion and chairing regular advisory board meetings, working 80 hours per year, or less than one day per month.

Both former ministers also sought advice from Acoba on taking these roles, which noted that in both cases the employers had a stakeholder relationship with their former departments. Jenrick and Williamson were both able to take the roles subject to the same conditions imposed on Javid.