Dear Sir Stephen Dorrell MP has just taken a job with KPMG, a private company that wants to bid on a £1 billion NHS contract. [1] But he refuses to give up his parliamentary seat. Mr Dorrell has admitted his new job is “incompatible” with his role as an MP. But he's refusing to step down until May 2015. [2] How can that be ok? Who is his boss for the next 5 months - KPMG or his constituents? If thousands of us sign a petition to David Cameron to show our outrage, the weight of public opinion could force him to crack down. Please sign now: http://secure.38degrees.org.uk/dorrell-conflict-of-interest For four years, Stephen Dorrell MP was the chair of the powerful Health Select committee, helping open the NHS up to privatisation. His new job is with a private company bidding on the NHS. Here’s what Chris, one his constituents says: “Public trust in politicians is currently at an all-time low. Dorrell's action in joining KPMG displays a cynical lack of integrity amongst MPs. This presents a serious conflict of interest and misuse of his privileged position, making him unfit to continue as an MP." From campaigning for a law to allow voters to sack rogue MPs, through to fighting to protect our NHS from private healthcare vultures, [3] 38 Degrees members have a history of challenging politicians who act against our democracy. Let’s show David Cameron we’re watching his every move. Can you sign the petition asking David Cameron to tell Stephen Dorrell he can't take a job in health privatisation whilst he's still an MP? http://secure.38degrees.org.uk/dorrell-conflict-of-interest Thanks for being involved, Ali, Robin, David and the 38 Degrees team NOTES: [1] Daily Telegraph: Stephen Dorrell MP faces calls to resign over conflict of interest: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...alls-to-resign-over-conflict-of-interest.html [2] Mirror: £1 billion NHS sell-off scandal: Tory MP works for firm targeting huge health service deal: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/1billion-nhs-sell-off-scandal-tory-4724959 [3] 38 Degrees blog - Recall campaign and NHS privatisation vote: http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2014/10/23/recall-mp-debate/ http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2014/11/20/save-our-nhs/
Won't make a bit of difference. The time scale of the petition and it actually being acted upon vs the 5-5.5 months between now and his step down anyway, he'll be gone before it gets anywhere. You think him not being MP means he won't have sway in parliament? You think, up until now, he's been serving his constituents before himself at all? Given half a chance I'd sack the vast majority of parliament and give them a good kicking, but this seems a remarkably pointless petition.
Register of MPs interests is available online for example PriceWaterhouse Coopers (a competitor to KPMG) were providing a member of staff as assistant to Tristram Hunt MP (the opposition education spokesman at a cost of ~150,000 per annum. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/141124/hunt_tristram.htm Regarding Stephen Dorrel, in this case, provided he excuses himself from voting on issues of direct interest (as opposed to general interest) I think it of no matter. It's probably better that we have MPs with outside interests in general.
Right, because he wouldn't be able to supply them with information to help their bid, or encourage influential mates in parliament to do him a favour when it comes to voting?
AFAIK unions don't bid for billion pound NHS contracts, or as per your earlier supposition fund individual MPs.
But that doesn't answer why you believe that there are "MPs funded by the unions", or why you believe "It's probably better that we have MPs with outside interests"
Well I looked into it as he had already resigned form the heath select committee before it was announced to avoid a conflict of interest. Now please explain how he is going to get them a NHS contract? Many MPs have outside interests. See how often UNITE shows up and that doesn't show where the MP only got selected by the union organising thier members (or fake members to get them selected before they are elected. Do you think that after getting elected thanks to those public sector unions they don't vote on issues that matter to that union, who will be interested in ensuring that as much of NHS funding as possible goes into wages rather than anything else.
He opened up the NHS to privatization and then got a job in a company that wants to buy the NHS? Did I read correctly?
"Secretary of State for Health (1995–97)". There were 13 years of Labour government after his tennure.
So a conservative MP votes for and promotes elements of privatisation and then gets a high paid job in a private sector company that benefits from this increased privatisation? Really? "I'm shocked. How out of character. I never would have expected such behaviour from a conservative MP." Is what I would have said, if I were living in opposite land.
None of that answers why you believe "MPs [are] funded by the unions", or why you believe "It's probably better that we have MPs with outside interests" You seem to be contradicting yourself, you say it's OK for MPs to have outside interests, just not interests to do with a union. As for the suspected Falkirk wrong doings, the Scottish police have stated "Following a comprehensive review of all material submitted, Police Scotland has concluded there are insufficient grounds to support a criminal investigation at this time"
