Ban former MPs from lobbying the government

The inquiry into David Cameron’s lobbying for collapsed Greensill Capital concluded that the former prime minister showed a “significant lack of judgment” in lobbying ministers.

But the Cameron scandal is the tip of the iceberg – this is about the whole “revolving door” culture where politicians walk straight out of parliament and into high-paid corporate jobs lobbying their former colleagues.

Former ministers and MPs get generous pensions. Yet they routinely take these lobbying roles, cashing in on their contacts in government.

Recent ex-MPs have gone on to work as lobbyists in City finance, the arms trade, fossil fuels, big tech, privatisation firms and more. They can keep their parliamentary passes to continue to walk the corridors of power while working for private firms. Many even worked as lobbyists before becoming MPs and will likely go back to it afterwards.

Cameron himself said in 2010 that after MPs’ expenses, lobbying was the “next big scandal waiting to happen”. Yet little has changed since that year’s “taxi for hire” case.

This is much bigger than one dodgy former prime minister – we need to permanently ban all former MPs from acting as lobbyists.

Highlighted comments

I’m disgusted that former MPs are abusing their position. They were voted in by us to run the country, not to make money for themselves.
Paul, Derbyshire

Paying to influence Government for personal commercial gain is wrong – employing ex-MPs to do this is clearly to use their informal contacts.
Christine, South London

David Cameron increased his net worth from £10 million to £40 million during his brief tenure as our Prime Minister. Government should not be a revolving door to lucrative directorships or appointments. It is PUBLIC SERVICE.
Robin, Gloucestershire

It’s sickening how low our politicians will stoop. Our former MP went from Minister for Defence and national security to an arms company and a peerage.
Jenifer, Yorkshire

The current situation is too open to abuse and has resulted in many people apparently entering politics primarily as a way to get the power to make money for themselves. Get a legal career first, then become an MP, minister if you’re lucky, and then ride the corporate corruption gravy train for the rest of your life, pulling strings, selling influence and taking bribes.
Susan, Oxfordshire