By Richard Wood

The newly formed Modernisation Committee in the House of Commons should consider recommending banning MSP-MP dual mandates as part of its remit concerning MPs’ outside employment.

Labour formed the government on the back of a manifesto pledge to clamp down on paid advisory and consultancy roles. However, the new committee has an opportunity to take those proposals further and tighten restrictions on second jobs more broadly.

Dual mandates, where an individual holds two full-time parliamentary positions at the same time, are bad for representative democracies. This includes MSP-MPs and MSPs-Lords. The phenomenon results in representatives not fully dedicated to their constituents in one clear capacity.

READ MORE: The MSPs who hold dual mandates following the 2021 election

A ban on the practice is long overdue, with the most prominent example in recent years being Douglas Ross being an MP, and MSP and taking on further employment at the same time. That said, this is an issue something all main parties have been of guilty of, especially in the early days of the Scottish Parliament.

The Modernisation Committee should consider the issue as part of their remit.

READ MORE: 5 reasons to ban MSP-MP dual mandates

What did Labour’s 2024 manifesto say?

“Labour will establish a new Modernisation Committee tasked with reforming House of Commons procedures, driving up standards, and improving working practices. The absence of rules on second jobs also means some constituents end up with MPs who spend more time on their second job, or lobbying for outside interests, than on representing them. Therefore, as an initial step,Labour will support an immediate ban on MPs from taking up paid advisory or consultancy roles. We will task the Modernisation Committee to take forward urgent work on the restrictions that need to be put in place to prevent MPs from taking up roles that stop them serving their constituents and the
country.”

READ MORE: 7 reforms to improve the Scottish Parliament

Who is on the Modernisation Committee?

The Committee, chaired by Lucy Powell MP, is made up of nine Labour MPs, three Conservatives MPs and two Lib Dem MPs:

🔴Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP

🔴 Mike Amesbury MP

🔴 Alex Barros-Curtis MP

🔴 Markus Campbell-Savours MP

🟠 Wendy Chamberlain MP

🔵 Sir Christopher Chope MP

🔴 Sarah Coombes MP

🔴 Chris Elmore MP

🔴 Kirith Entwistle MP

🟠 Marie Goldman MP

🔴 Paulette Hamilton MP

🔵Joy Morrissey MP

🔵 Chris Philp MP

🔴 Jo Platt MP

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