A senior Conservative MP under scrutiny over his extra earnings for legal work has defended himself – and declared it is up to his constituents to vote him out if they are unhappy about it.
Sir Geoffrey Cox’s entry in the register of members’ interests shows he earned more than £800,000 for law firm Withers, which is representing the British Virgin Islands government in a corruption case brought by the UK government.
It has been revealed that he voted by proxy in the House of Commons while earning hundreds of thousands of pounds for the legal work more than 4,000 miles away in the Caribbean.
Sir Geoffrey is also facing claims that he used his parliamentary office to undertake some of his work for Withers.
The MPs code of conduct states any facilities “provided from the public purse” are used “always in support of their parliamentary duties”, adding: “It should not confer any undue financial benefit on themselves”.
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But in a statement posted on his website Sir Geoffrey said “he does not believe that he breached the rules” and claimed he consulted the Conservative chief whip about voting by proxy while in the Caribbean and “was advised that it was appropriate”.
He describes himself as a “leading barrister in England” who “makes no secret of his professional activities”.
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It continued: “Sir Geoffrey’s view is that it is up to the electors of Torridge and West Devon whether or not they vote for someone who is a senior and distinguished professional in his field and who still practises that profession.
“That has been the consistent view of the local Conservative Association and although at every election his political opponents have sought to make a prominent issue of his professional practice, it has so far been the consistent view of the voters of Torridge and West Devon.
“Sir Geoffrey is very content to abide by their decision”.
Polls are to open for the local elections across the country, with the added extra of a by-election on the same day.
Over 2,600 council seats are up for grabs across 107 councils in England, along with 10 mayoralties in major cities and combined authorities, and 25 London Assembly seats.
A total of 37 police and crime commissioners will also be decided at ballot boxes in England and Wales.
And a new MP will be chosen for the seat of Blackpool South in a by-election.
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U.S. prosecutors are reportedly investigating the fintech firm after a whistleblower claimed it processed thousands of transactions for users from sanctioned countries and terrorist groups.
John Swinney is expected to declare his bid to become the new leader of the SNP later today, Sky News understands.
It comes after Humza Yousaf announced he was standing down as SNP leader and Scotland’s first minister following his decision last week to cut power-sharing ties with the Scottish Greens – a move which saw his leadership collapse.
Mr Swinney previously served as SNP leader between 2000 and 2004; later becoming Nicola Sturgeon’s number two from 2014 to 2023.
He is considered a front-runner for the top job once again, having garnered support from senior figures within his party, including from the SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn.
The Perthshire North MSP is expected to make a statement in Edinburgh on Thursday morning.
However, he could face competition from the party’s former finance minister Kate Forbes, who narrowly lost out to Mr Yousaf in last year’s leadership election.
Though the Skye, Lochaber, and Badenoch MSP has not confirmed her intention to enter the leadership contest, she has so far refused to rule herself out of the race.
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“I am still considering all the options, but I also know that there is a lot of support for me across the country and across the party, and last year proved that,” she told Sky News on Tuesday.
It comes after the outgoing first minister, Mr Yousaf, was forced to resign following the breakdown of the Bute House Agreement.
Within hours of the power-sharing deal coming to an end, Mr Yousaf faced the threat of a no confidence vote in himself, and later from one in the Scottish government.
Mr Yousaf stepped down as Scotland’s first minister just after midday on Monday, saying he was “not willing to treat my values and principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power”.
He said he would remain in post until a replacement first minister was chosen.