Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove made a veiled dig at two former Tory ministers, who suggested in sting interviews they would work for a fake Korean firm in exchange for a £10,000 daily rate.
The hoax, organised by campaign group Led By Donkeys, saw former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and former health secretary Matt Hancock approached about providing political advice to a bogus South Korean company.
During one interview, Mr Kwarteng indicated he would take on external consultancy work for fake foreign firm Hanseong Consulting for a sum of £10,000 per day.
Mr Hancock, in a separate interview, said his daily rate was the same.
🚨MPs FOR HIRE: a Led By Donkeys undercover investigation🚨
— Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) March 25, 2023
Watch the trailer… pic.twitter.com/TOPxuhmbr9
Mr Gove has said MPs “will reflect on” the incident, adding that Mr Kwarteng and Mr Hancock “will have to answer for themselves”.
There is no accusation of wrongdoing, with MPs permitted to seek employment outside of Parliament as long as they abide by transparency and lobbying rules.
But Mr Gove has stressed that delivering for constituents should be “the first duty” of an MP.
“I think it’s important that the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner has the opportunity to look and to investigate any activity that may cross the line,” Mr Gove told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday.
He said he believed the work considered by Mr Kwarteng and Mr Hancock was “within the rules,” but added: “Inevitably all of us will reflect on this.
“The first duty of a member of parliament is towards their constituents, and ultimately the really important thing is, is an MP delivering for their constituents? Is a member of parliament doing everything they can to put public service first?
MPs FOR HIRE - the former Chancellor pic.twitter.com/Q3xQlKxZSj
— Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) March 26, 2023
“The individuals conerned will have to answer for themselves.”
He went on to point out that some MPs undertake work outside their parliamentary duties “that complements what they do”, such as former health minister Maria Caulfield who also works as a nurse.
“So it is possible to combine additonal activity with your responsibility towards your constituents,” he said. “But each invidivual MP must judge for themselves.
“Is what they’re doing something they can defend? Are they making sure it’s transparent and within the rules? But above all, is it the case that they’re putting constituents first?”
The sting saw anti-Brexit group Led By Donkeys create a company called Hanseong Consulting, including setting up a website containing made-up testimonials and paying for a so-called “fake virtual office” in the South Korean capital Seoul.
It then approached 20 MPs from across the political divide about serving on its non-existent international advisory board.
Five of those were said to have progressed to an online interview stage, including Mr Hancock and four Tories: Mr Kwarteng, former defence secretary Sir Gavin Williamson, former minister Stephen Hammond and Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, an influential backbench body.
During a phoney interview with someone claiming to work for the company Mr Kwarteng, Conservative MP for Spelthorne in northern Surrey, looked to “sell” himself by highlighting his experience serving “briefly” as chancellor and also as a business secretary and energy minister.
Mr Kwarteng is heard telling the phoney outfit: “I would say (out of) my generation in the UK, there are very few people who have had the breadth of experience I’ve had across business and politics at this level.”
Speaking from his office in Parliament, he suggests that as a “senior politician” in a Government with a healthy majority that he should be able to travel internationally for any consultancy work.
He also offered to facilitate setting up a meeting between the fake firm and former prime minister Boris Johnson.
While serving as chancellor to former prime minister Liz Truss, Mr Kwarteng sent the value of the pound tumbling and mortgage rates soaring with his September mini-budget’s unfunded tax cuts, which included plans to abolish the tax rate for Britain’s highest earners.
Following the fallout, he was sacked by Ms Truss, lasting only 38 days in the job.
