One Tory MP made hundreds of thousands from his second job which saw him remote vote from the Caribbean.
Geoffrey Cox (a former attorney general and QC) is currently advising the British Virgin Islands’ government. The British Virgin Islands are a tax haven that has been accused in corruption.
According to a source, he used lockdown rules for proxy voting in the Commons. This was while he was working from 4,000 miles away under a lucrative contract.
Geoffrey Cox with Jeanie 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
Sir Geoffrey 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.
A Whitehall insider said: ‘While he should have been in the UK working for his constituents he’s been over in the British Virgin Islands doing his second job working as a barrister and advising those accused of trousering cash for their mates.’
The revelation is likely to prompt fresh calls for reform of the regulations surrounding MPs’ second jobs.
It came as Boris Johnson was accused of ‘running scared’ after he snubbed a fiery Commons debate yesterday following the row over the Government’s botched attempt to block the suspension of disgraced Tory MP Owen Paterson.
A source claims Sir Geoffrey spent up to one month working in the British Virgin Islands for Withers. Withers is an international law firm.
Other developments from yesterday
- The Conservatives were beaten by Labour in an opinion poll for the first 12 month.
- A Tory MP said he was close to sending in a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson’s leadership – the first step towards a possible contest to replace him;
- Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the attempt by the Tories to tear up sleaze rules had showcased parliament ‘at its worst’;
- Daniel Kawczynski is another disgraced Tory MP and faces a Commons ban for clashing with the sleaze monitordog.
- The SNP wrote to the Metropolitan Police calling for an investigation into ‘cash for honours’ claims, following revelations that a string of Tory donors have been appointed to the Lords;
- There was increasing pressure on Parliament to eliminate the offer of passes to former MPs. It could give Mr Paterson continued privilege access to Westminster institutions.
- Although he said that he hadn’t discussed future peerage plans with Paterson, the PM refused to exclude it.
A source claimed that Sir Geoffrey was the most well-respected MP for earning the greatest salary. While working at Withers (an international law firm), he also voted in the Commons by proxy.
Sir Geoffrey advises the British Virgin Islands government, which is accused of being a tax haven.
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. When the Commons were discussing global anti-corruption measures, he was reported to have arrived on April 26.
A press release on the BVI government website for that day stated that Sir Geoffrey was ‘currently in quarantine’ but ‘intends to hold a series of meetings with government ministers in the next few weeks’.
He was one of the MPs who were eligible to vote by proxy that day.
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.
It was launched in January by the Foreign Office to establish whether there was evidence of ‘corruption, abuse of office or other serious dishonesty that has taken place in public office in recent years’.
The inquiry has heard allegations of unaudited spending and contracts being handed out to politically-connected people.
The hearings have exposed tensions between the BVI’s local government and its governor, who is appointed by the UK.
A senior Whitehall source accused Sir Geoffrey of ‘pocketing hundreds of thousands of pounds to help stop the exposure of corruption in a Caribbean paradise’.
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
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.
Sir Geoffrey was hired by Withers in September last year as its ‘consultant global counsel’ to advise on private and overseas government clients, according to the firm’s website.
In announcing his appointment, he stated that he was still MP for Torridge and West Devon as well as being a privy counsellor and would also continue practicing law at Thomas More Chambers in London.
The British Government is funding the ‘core cost’ of the commission of inquiry in the BVI, but will not pay the fees associated with legal counsels appointed by individuals or organisations.
Labour MP Karl Turner said yesterday: ‘How does Geoffrey Cox find time to do his job as a constituency MP?’
The move comes amid increasing calls to prohibit MPs from holding second jobs, which include consulting work. While Sir Geoffrey provided legal services, many of his coworkers take up paid consulting positions.
Sir Geoffrey failed to respond to our request last night.