Veteran MPs Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw have both been caught out offering cash for access, and Rifkind has since announced his intention to quit parliament.
Rifkind has tried to justify his behavour by saying that he wants to have the standard of living that his professional background would normally entitle him to have. Rifkind was originally a lawyer, and I quote from a previous post about Godfrey Bloom MEP:
The
salary of an MEP is I believe £66,396, and I will take Bloom's word for
it that lawyers tend to earn more. Nevertheless £66,396 is more than
the salary of a university professor, and also more than the typical
earnings of road maintenance workers - but of course they do an
important job and do it well.
I want this country to be governed by politicians who are driven by principle and not by personal greed. If you can earn more as a lawyer than as a politician, then you are free to stay away from politics. If you choose to enter the world of politics, then please do not use a professional background as an excuse for selfish behaviour.
Related previous posts include:
Nigel Farage is still a coward
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