Ban MPs from working as paid consultants, watchdog suggests

Commons standards committee's anti-sleaze proposals also include written contracts for outside work

MPs should face a complete ban on working as paid consultants and ministers should be more open about any potential conflicts of interest, parliament's internal standards watchdog has proposed among a series of new anti-sleaze rules.

Other recommendations in the report from the Commons standards committee include an obligation for MPs to have a written contract for any outside work, available for inspection if needed, and which would spell out that they cannot lobby on behalf of the employer.