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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsGovernancePolitical ReformLobbyingConflict Of InterestParliamentary ethicsMembers of Parliament•••Started 4mos agoActive 3hrs ago

Should Members of Parliament be banned from holding paid second jobs?

The debate over MP second jobs centers on potential conflicts of interest versus the value of external experience. Critics, citing recent lobbying scandals, argue that paid consultancy roles allow corporations to buy political influence and distract MPs from their constituents. Defenders maintain that banning all second jobs would create a class of career politicians with no real-world skills and would unfairly penalize professionals like doctors or lawyers who wish to maintain their certifications while serving. Proponents argue that a strict ban restores public trust and integrity to the democratic process. Opponents argue that transparency measures are sufficient and that a ban would deter high-caliber candidates from entering politics.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 27.3k UK voters.

62%
Yes
38%
No
52%
Yes
29%
No
4%
Yes, serving the public is a full-time job that demands 100% of an MP's attention.
7%
No, as long as they declare their income, voters can decide if they are neglecting their duties.
3%
Yes, and ban stock trading too—politics shouldn't be a get-rich-quick scheme.
2%
No, outside work keeps MPs grounded in the real world instead of becoming out-of-touch career politicians.
3%
Yes, ban influence-peddling consultancies, but allow public service roles like doctors.
1%
No, banning outside income would deter successful experts from running for office.

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 27.3k UK voters.

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Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 27.3k UK voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from UK voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @BF4WP5Lanswered…3 days3D

Depends how much they are earning as an mp

 @BF33HVWanswered…1wk1W

Yes so they can focus on running the country, as long as being an MP pays well by the time other jobs are banned for them.

 @BF2FD7Xanswered…1wk1W

Yes, except if the earnings are less than £100,000 a year.

 @BDZWMWSanswered…2wks2W

There should be general ban, with an exception for doctors, barristers and other licensed professionals, who should be permitted to do a small amount of work each month to keep their expertise current.

 @BDZW4QDanswered…2wks2W

Yes, but it needs careful consideration about what can be considered part of an MP's work. For example, if an MP writes a book about their work it is technically a second job (author) but it could also be considered important for understanding the work of government (within MP role).

 @BDYRW7C answered…2wks2W

No, As long as it doesn't interfere with their duties.

 @BDR2VJ3answered…1mo1MO

Yes but raise their salaries in order to keep incentivising individuals to become MPs and cover these costs by reducing the number of peers in the HoL as well as their salaries

 @PerplexedTheta answered…1mo1MO

Yes, and MPs should be on a working wage so they are kept grounded in the realities of the proletariat

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Active 2mos ago

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...…6yrs6Y

Should critical race theory be taught in K-12 education?

No

▲  19.8k6 replies4 agree1 disagree

About This Data

Based on 27.3k responses to this question.

These results come from iSideWith's ongoing political issues survey. We collect over a million responses per day, filter out duplicate and multiple submissions, and break the results down by political party, ideology, age, state, and census demographics (income, race, education, household).

iSideWith is non-partisan — we don't advocate for any party, candidate, or position. We report what the public tells us.

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Cite This Poll

iSideWith. (2026). “Should Members of Parliament be banned from holding paid second jobs?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://uk.isidewith.com/polls/5548669810

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