Tory MP Geoffrey Cox’s Caribbean cash cow ramps up the second job row
Since the blatant attempt to dismiss Owen Paterson’s lobbying punishment under a blanket of procedural review angered half of parliament and most of the voters, a debate has broken out over whether MP’s should have second jobs.
Writing newspaper columns or authoring books are ‘second jobs’ that genuinely enhance the role of MPs.
— Tom Harwood (@tomhfh) November 9, 2021
If MPs need a second job to "remain in touch with the real world", might I suggest we need HGV drivers more than we need political advisors to the gambling industry.
— Russ Jones (@RussInCheshire) November 9, 2021
All eyes have turned on the Register of Members’ Financial Interests where MPs declare things that bring them earnings of any sort and which might represent a conflict of interest in House business.
The MP for Torridge and West Devon, former Attorney General Sir Geoffrey Cox had a very interesting entry, and the details raised eyebrows – and questions.
Right so *deep breath* it appears Geoffrey Cox spent April, while Brits were still under lockdown rules, in the Caribbean, voting in parliament over Zoom, earning £100,000s representing a tax haven island *against the British state* over corruption claims? https://t.co/1aTW7Hr2Vw
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) November 9, 2021
The Chair of the Labour Party, Anneliese Dodds, felt it needed proper scrutiny.
Labour chair, Annelise Dodds is writing to Boris Johnson to demand he decides if Geoffrey Cox is a 'Caribbean based barrister or a Conservative MP', saying it's a 'question of leadership' for the PM
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) November 9, 2021
So did Twitter.
1.
It’s hard to pick your favourite bit…
– That Geoffrey Cox had enough time to earn £400k from his 2nd job
– That the job was advising a dodgy foreign Govt AGAINST this Govt’s Foreign Office
– Or that he did this in the Caribbean while being paid to represent Devon constituents
— Marina Purkiss (@MarinaPurkiss) November 9, 2021
2.
I personally think it’s jolly decent of Geoffrey Cox to squeeze in a bit of MP work around his busy life as a barrister in The Caribbean.
— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) November 9, 2021
3.
Today’s Tory corruption superstar:
Geoffrey Cox MP
💷£400k a year from second job
💷£150k to help tax haven fend off Foreign Office corruption charges
🏝Worked from tax haven during lockdownhttps://t.co/2dBahQEfqn— David Schneider (@davidschneider) November 9, 2021
4.
Who amongst us https://t.co/hMQrdAaGbm
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) November 9, 2021
5.
Maybe they should be MPs for free, given there doesn’t seem to be much work in the job, given how much free time they have to do other jobs. MPing seems to be more of a hobby than a profession. But of auld MPing for 20 mins of the day, as a treat. https://t.co/wzneL8T1cC
— Niecy O'Keeffe (@NiecyOKeeffe) November 9, 2021
6.
1. Beach in Devon where Geoffrey Cox's constituency is located.
2. Beach in British Virgin Islands where Geoffrey Cox spends his time. pic.twitter.com/9L3gg6acU1
— McFlav 🇦🇺 🇪🇺 🏴 (@McFlavour7) November 9, 2021
7.
Unclear what’s madder here: the situation, or the fact Cox hasn’t broken the rules in any way https://t.co/K3S0UxrDpB
— Alan White (@aljwhite) November 9, 2021
8.
If your second job pays more than your first job then perhaps your second job is actually your first job.
— Vincent Rowlatt (@Vincent_Rowlatt) November 9, 2021
9.
Seems Sir Geoffrey Cox has been advising a tax haven on how to deal with a corruption investigation opened by the UK government that he was part of until February last year, as Attorney General.
The words 'humungous conflict of interest' do rather spring to mind…
— Mandoline 🐦 (@Mandoline_Blue) November 9, 2021
10.
Remember when the UK govt was trying to scare you in to stop working from home…
…at that very moment, MP Geoffrey Cox was sitting in the Caribbean earning thousands helping a foreign govt to fight UK corruption charges….while voting remotely as an MP & claiming an MPs salary. https://t.co/lIEGAoz1c3
— Nick🇬🇧🇪🇺 (@nicktolhurst) November 9, 2021
11.
Geoffrey Cox finds parliament so disgraceful he's forced to spend weeks at a time in Caribbean tax havens rather than sitting in it. pic.twitter.com/5dNb45m5Tw
— THE SECRET TORY (@secrettory12) November 9, 2021
12.
And despite my party chairman recently urging workers to get off their pelotons and back to their desks, I ‘represented my constituents’ during part of the last lockdown, whilst also being paid a small fortune for a second job, based in a Caribbean tax haven… which was nice pic.twitter.com/MErA8HNUVl
— TheFastShow (@TheFastShow1) November 9, 2021
In conclusion –
If earning £100s of thousands while parked in the Caribbean, representing a tax haven on the wrong side of a corruption case, isn’t breaking the rules as an MP…
… then the problem is the rules.
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) November 9, 2021
READ MORE
Owen Paterson is leaving the ‘cruel world of politics’ – 17 votes of no confidence
Source Jim Waterson Image Screengrab, larsen9236 on Unsplash
