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Johnson stresses that the UK is not spoiled by clashes over second-term MPs News

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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has dismissed allegations of widespread corruption in the UK as his government’s Conservative Party was embroiled in a slew of notorious allegations about parliamentarians holding second-term seats.

Former Attorney General Geoffrey Cox’s revelations that his parliamentary office was used for beneficial private work have led to a standard interrogation, even though he broke no rules.

Johnson was accused of trying to change the rules for punishing erroneous deputies last week and failed when a Tory deputy Owen Paterson was found to have lobbied the ministers of the two companies on his payroll.

Both cases have opened the way for deputies to renew their analysis of potential conflicts of interest, which sparked public outrage and led to a series of resignations more than a decade after a spending scandal.

But Johnson told reporters during a flying visit to Glasgow at the United Nations Climate Change Summit: “I really believe the UK is not a rotten country by far. I don’t think our organizations are rotten either.”

Cox defends his second job

Cox, the former attorney general, on Wednesday defended his second job of $ 400,000 ($ 540,000) a year, stressing that he had not broken the rules.

He said his work as a lawyer did not remove him from the electorate in the south-west constituency of England, which he represents in Parliament.

Cox has been on fire for repeatedly earning his politician’s salary of £ 82,000 ($ 110,000) for doing legal work, including advising the British Virgin Islands government on a corruption investigation.

He was allowed to vote by proxy in Parliament while he was in the Caribbean country, the overseas territory of Great Britain.

While he is allowed to do outside work, the Times newspaper released a video on Wednesday showing Cox taking part in a legal hearing in his parliamentary office, an apparent violation of the rules.

According to Cox’s statement, he is paid £ 400,000 a year for 41 hours of work a month. [File: Justin Tallis/AFP]

In his defense of his second job, Geoffrey Cox said he had “major and full-fledged importance” to his work in his constituency.

“He doesn’t think he violated the rules, but of course he will accept the ruling of the Parliamentary Commissioner or the Committee on the matter,” Cox’s office said. a statement on its website.

Members of Parliament are allowed to earn outside income as long as they declare it and do not shut down the lobby. According to Cox’s statement, he is paid £ 400,000 a year for 41 hours of work a month.

‘Insult to taxpayers’

Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the main opposition Labor Party, said Cox should be investigated.

“The use of a tax-funded office by Geoffrey Cox in Parliament is a bold and insulting violation of the rules for working in a tax haven that is being investigated for corruption,” he wrote.

“I have written to the Rules Commissioner requesting an investigation,” he added.

The debate over Cox’s second income began when he struggled to dismiss allegations of corruption that arose when Johnson’s government tried to make a change in the system that oversees the standards of politicians.

The UK leader sparked outrage last week when he tried to review parliament’s internal disciplinary process after the House of Commons rules committee recommended the Conservative Party’s legislature be suspended for 30 days.

Owen Paterson was found to have committed a “horrible” offense after repeatedly lobbying ministers and officials on behalf of two companies that paid him more than £ 100,000 a year.

The government changed course the next day, but now there is growing pressure to tighten rules. While Paterson eventually resigned, Johnson’s handling of the affair severely damaged the party’s morale.

The section was the last fuel to accuse Johnson and his Conservative government of not complying with the rules that apply to everyone else.

In contracts to provide equipment and services in the coronavirus pandemic, lawsuits have been launched for the government’s allocation of ten million pounds (dollars), often in a hurry and with little oversight.



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