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I learn from my business roles
ANOTHER storm is about to break over Westminster – the row over MPs having jobs outside Parliament.
As my political opponents have taken every opportunity to point out, I have throughout my time as Horsham's MP held some paid roles in business.
This week I'm disclosing what I get paid for these and how much of my time they take.
Is it justifiable at all? Some say – you're paid a salary as MP, how can you have time to do other work?
The flaw in this argument is that in our system Government Ministers all have to be in Parliament – so at any stage there are eighty or so MPs holding a full time salaried second job as one of Her Majesty's Ministers.
No one says that's inappropriate.
And when there's a change of government – do we really all want all incoming ministers to be people who are out of the habit of taking big decisions?
After all, that's what ministers do – all the time every day.
Yet most MPs in their daily lives take few decisions that will immediately be put into effect.
Being involved in a business where your decisions on a board of directors will actually be implemented is some sort of preparation.
Then there's what you learn. One of my current roles is as a member of Barclays Bank's Asia-Pacific Advisory Committee.
This draws on my involvement with the region over many years, especially when I was in banking in the nineties before I was elected for Horsham.
It doesn't take much time – a few days every year. But I learn a vast amount about one of the most important and fast-changing parts of the world.
I sit with some of the best-connected and most influential players in the Asia-Pacific region. I think it helps me be a better MP.
And yes I do get paid – handsomely. I think I give value for money – but that's for Barclays to judge.
I get paid less for my two directorships – but again I'm happy to defend what I do.
One is an advertising and marketing group, giving me a continuous insight into the currently dire state of Britain's economy.
And the other is a US-based technology and innovation company, where I learn constantly about the leading edge of the technological developments, especially in green technology, that are needed to drive economic prosperity for the future.
So – what do readers think? Let the debate commence.
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Weather for Horsham
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Thunderstorm
Temperature: 14 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
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