Dominic Raab today defended a top Tory MP after it emerged they had earned hundreds of thousands of pounds from a second job that saw him vote in Parliament remotely from the Caribbean.
The Deputy PM insisted it is ‘legitimate’ for Geoffrey Cox, an eminent QC and former attorney general, to advise the government of the British Virgin Islands.
Sir Geoffrey has made around one million pounds in legal work during the last year. He used lockdown rules as proxy to vote in the Commons while he was working 4,000 miles away from the outbreak.
Raab claimed that the voters would decide if their MP spent enough time on parliamentary duties.
Mr Raab said: ‘I think it’s first of all important to say that all of… any outside interests have to be properly declared.
“In regard to the British Virgin Islands I was the foreign secretary who commissioned an inquiry due to allegations of misgovernance, very serious ones and criminal wrongdoing.
‘Now, I’m not going to get dragged into what individual MPs do, but actually having the former attorney general – and it wasn’t my decision, he was hired by the government of the BVI to advise them on how to correct and deal and address those allegations – actually, is a legitimate thing to do as long as it’s properly declared.
“And, of course, that Parliament is quite important, which residually has responsibility for some areas in our relationship with overseas territories, we have some knowledge about what’s happening in those territories.
Geoffrey Cox is pictured here with Jeanie, his wife. He has been paid almost £900,000 by an international law firm over the past year and received more than £130,000 for other legal work
Dominic Raab argued it’s ‘legitimate” for Geoffrey Cox – an accomplished QC and ex-attorney general – to consult the government of British Virgin Islands
BBC Breakfast: Mr Raab stated that there are strict guidelines regarding second jobs, and it is a legitimate right for MPs not to have other positions.
He stated that people want to see politicians and MPs have experience and exposure that is not limited to the political realm.
He said that the flexibility’makes us not become ever more isolated and out of tune with the priorities of how’s happening in the rest of the world’.
Raab added that the voters will ultimately choose their MP, and whether or not they are spending enough time serving their constituents.
On Radio 4’s Today, Mr Raab was asked if he is comfortable talking about Sir Geoffrey’s work outside of his home. He replied: ‘As we made clear, it’s never for me to get comfy or otherwise with it.
“It is up to the constituents in each constituency to examine the records of their MP and determine if they have the right priorities.”
It is possible that Sir Geoffrey’s revelations will prompt new calls to reform the laws surrounding second-jobs for MPs.
Boris Johnson was charged with running scared following yesterday’s heated Commons debate about Government attempts to block suspension of Owen Paterson (Tory MP for disgrace)
Sources claim Sir Geoffrey was the most-earning member of parliament and spent up to one month in British Virgin Islands, working for Withers (an international law firm).
A source claimed that Sir Geoffrey was the most well-paid MP. While working at Withers (an international law firm), he also voted in the Commons by proxy.
He has been paid almost £900,000 by Withers over the past year and received more than £130,000 for other legal work.
According to some reports, he may have visited the BVI during April or May 2012. While the Commons was discussing anti-corruption global sanctions, he was reported to have arrived on April 26.
The BVI government’s website posted a press release that stated that Sir Geoffrey was “currently in quarantine” but that he intends to meet with ministers over the coming weeks.
He was among the eligible MPs for proxy votes that day.
An insider in Whitehall told The Daily Mail that while he was supposed to be in Britain working for his constituents. Instead, he spent time in British Virgin Islands working his second job as a lawyer and counseling those charged with trousering money for their mates.
The register of financial interests shows he received £156,916.08 from Withers for work undertaken between April 29 and May 31, 2021, totalling 140 hours.
Sir Geoffrey (who was fired last year as attorney general) represented the BVI Government, a British Overseas Territory in an inquiry into governance on the islands.
Sir Geoffrey advises the British Virgin Islands government, which is accused of being a tax haven.
Appledore in Geoffrey Cox’s Devon constituency. The Tory MP yesterday revealed he has earned more than £1million from outside legal work over the past year on top of his £82,000 salary as a backbencher
The Foreign Office launched the investigation in January to determine if there is evidence of corruption, abuse or any other serious dishonesty in public office over recent years.
The inquiry has heard allegations of unaudited spending and contracts being handed out to politically-connected people.
Hearings revealed tensions between BVI’s local government, and its governor who is appointed annually by the UK.
According to a Whitehall official, Sir Geoffrey was accused of “pocketing thousands of pounds in order to stop corruption being exposed in the Caribbean paradise”.
At the time, coronavirus restrictions meant MPs could participate in Commons debates via Zoom and vote by a proxy – meaning they did not have to come to Westminster.
Withers hired Sir Geoffrey in September of last year to be its ‘consultant worldwide counsel’, to help with overseas clients and private matters. According to the website.
His appointment was announced in a post. It noted that he would continue to be MP for Torridge, West Devon and privy counsellor. He also said that he still wanted to practice as a barrister at Thomas More Chambers.
Although the British Government will fund the “core cost” of the investigation in BVI, it won’t pay fees for legal counsels or other professionals.
Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat Chief Whip) said she was astonished by the allegations about Sir Geoffrey.
Why was it that a Tory MP spent time on the opposite side of the globe advising a tax haven rather than supporting his constituents.
“It is quite astonishing that the Justice Secretary would defend such a behavior as legal.
“The irony is greater that while the government ordered an investigation into corruption and political nepotism in British Virgin Islands, it refused to conduct one at home.
Karl Turner, Labour MP for Labour said yesterday that Geoffrey Cox is finding time to be a constituency MP.
The move comes amid increasing calls to prohibit MPs from holding second jobs that require consulting work. While Sir Geoffrey provided legal services, many of his coworkers take up paid consulting positions.
Sir Geoffrey didn’t respond last night to my request for comment.