Skipton and Ripon conservative MP Julian Smith earns more than any MP in Yorkshire from outside roles, research by the Stray Ferret has discovered.
He is also one of the highest earning of the 650 MPs, with only six others earning more than him from second and third jobs in the 12 months to April.
As previously reported in the Stray Ferret, Mr Smith is currently making the equivalent of £144,000 per year from three advisory roles outside of Parliament. This is in addition to his £81,932 annual salary as an MP.
Mr Smith was secretary of state for Northern Ireland from July 2019 to February 2020. Two of Mr Smith’s advisory roles have links with Northern Ireland.
In August 2020 he began advising Ryse Hydrogen, whose chief executive Jo Bamford also owns Wrightbus, a Northern Ireland bus manufacturer. The contract is £60,000 for 20 hours of work.
From last month he was contracted to work for 30 to 40 hours over 12 months for MJM Marine, a cruise ship refurbishment company based in County Down, Northern Ireland. This contract is also for £60,000.
In January this year he began another role, advising Cork-based sustainable energy and aquaculture company Simply Blue Management. He will be paid £24,000 over a year for up to two hours of work per month.
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Former prime minister Theresa May is paid the most money for outside activities: almost £650,000 for a number of speaking engagements. Other high earners include former chancellor Sajid Javid, who earns more than £300,000 a year for giving economic advice to businesses.
Among the 54 MPs in Yorkshire, Julian Smith was the highest earner.
Phillip Davies, MP for Shipley, received more than £49,000 last year from gambling company Entain (formerly GVC Holdings), which owns brands such as Coral and Ladbrokes. This was in return for 124 hours of work, an hourly rate of more than £400 an hour. Mr Davies has previously been forced to apologise for failing to declare hospitality received from bookmakers.
David Davis, MP for Haltemprice and Howden, was the highest earner per hour in Yorkshire. He was paid £10,000 for three hours and 12 minutes consulting work by JCB, the heavy equipment manufacturer. The company’s owners, the Bamford family, are major donors to the Conservative party, having donated more than £10 million since 2010.
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams did not declare any paid work outside of Parliament in the past year.
