Who Profits in Parliament? The Gender Pay Gap in MPs’ Second Jobs

By Mika Chen, Intern at Unlock Democracy

MPs’ second jobs have been a major point of political controversy in recent years, with many arguing that lucrative consultancy roles and corporate advisory positions create conflicts of interest and undermine democratic accountability. In 2023 the infamous Owen Paterson lobbying scandal, which exposed how sitting MPs can use their political influence for private financial gain, highlighted the broader problem of second jobs - who benefits from them, and at what cost to public trust?

Most members of the public expect that the person they send to Parliament will be a full-time MP and they are paid as such. When MPs hold high-paying external roles, they create conflicts of interest, as exemplified by the Paterson scandal. Their decisions risk being influenced by private financial incentives rather than the interests of their constituents. Additionally, those who dedicate copious amounts of time to second jobs run the risk of neglecting their parliamentary duties. Any time spent on a second job is likely to come at the expense of MPs’ presence within their constituencies and in parliament.

But beyond the democratic concerns, there is another dimension to this debate: the gender pay disparity in MPs’ secondary income. In 2021, an investigation by Byline Times found that male MPs earned, on average, 63% more than their female colleagues from second jobs. The disparity has only widened since. In 2024, the 15 highest earners from external roles were all men, and of all MPs earning over £10,000 annually from secondary income, 74% were male.

So, why are male MPs sweeping up the majority of the lucrative roles? 

Fewer Women In Parliament

Of course, one obvious cause of this gap is the simple fact that there are fewer women in Parliament, limiting the pool of female MPs eligible for high-paying second jobs. At the moment in the House of Commons, 263 out of 650 MPs are women (40.5%). Whilst this is the highest-ever proportion of women MPs in history, it is still vastly unrepresentative of the country as a whole. 

There are a plethora of reasons for this, but my analysis showed that one of the most critical factors that shapes the number of women elected to a parliament is how free and fair the elections in that country are. 

This is measured using the Quality of Government data published by the University of Gothenberg. As shown below, higher-quality elections correlate with greater gender balance in parliament, reinforcing the idea that transparent and competitive political systems create better opportunities for women to enter and thrive in politics. (Note - this data refers to democratic regimes only).)

Further analysis shows the correlation between societal attitudes towards gender and the representation of women in lower chambers. The data shows that when a higher proportion of men believe that men make better political leaders than women, fewer women are elected. This suggests that deep-seated biases about leadership directly influence the gender balance in parliaments, reinforcing barriers to women’s representation in politics.

How Cabinet Representation Impacts Earnings

But beyond the numerical discrepancy in the number of women in the House of Commons, there are other reasons for the gender gap in MPs’ earnings from second jobs. One of these key factors is access: female MPs are often underrepresented in powerful cabinet positions, which are crucial pathways into high-paying secondary roles. As of 2024, the proportion of women in the Cabinet was 26.1%. The highest-ever figure for women in cabinet was in 2006 and 2017, at 34.8%.

Many of these roles rely on elite networks, insider knowledge and contacts; which typically exist in male-dominated industries, where men have built long-standing relationships over time. Firms often seek political figures with these inside connections, and unfortunately, women in politics are less likely to have the same access to these networks as their male counterparts. This persistent lack of access to influential circles only deepens the financial gap, leaving many women MPs at a disadvantage when it comes to securing high-paying second jobs.

The Sectors Where Male MPs are Winning Big

Another reason for the gap, as found by the Byline Times intelligence team, is the sectoral difference in jobs that male MPs take as opposed to female MPs. Male MPs are far more likely to take up secondary roles in high-paying sectors such as banking, finance, property, and industry. In fact, in 2021 33% of the secondary working hours of 121 male MPs were spent in these business-related areas. In contrast, only 12% of the secondary working hours of 51 female MPs were spent in the private sector. 

The Domestic Burden: Women’s Additional Responsibilities

Finally, it would be unfitting to not acknowledge the domestic burden that women tend to shoulder more generally in society. In many cases, female MPs are more likely to juggle family duties alongside their political career, including childcare and household management, which often fall more heavily on women due to long standing societal norms. 2023 ONS data show that on average, employed women spend 10.9% of their time doing unpaid housework, significantly more than employed men (8.4%). Similarly, employed women spent significantly more time on unpaid care (2.7%) than employed men (1.8%). As a result, employed women in general (the logic of which can be extended to female MPs) may find it harder to pursue secondary roles that demand long hours, frequent travel, or a significant commitment of time - directly impacting their ability to secure high-paying external jobs that require such flexibility and availability.

Indication of a Wider Issue

The gender pay gap in MPs' second jobs is not just about individual earning potential; it’s a reflection of deeper systemic issues in politics and society. From limited representation in Parliament and Cabinet positions to unequal access to elite networks, women MPs face unique barriers that prevent them from securing the high-paying second jobs that their male counterparts dominate. 

But this phenomenon isn’t isolated to MPs; women across society encounter similar challenges daily - whether in the workplace, in leadership roles, or in accessing high-paying opportunities. 

Closing this gap requires not only policy changes and greater representation, but a broader cultural shift toward truly equitable opportunities for all. This should start with limiting the earnings MPs can receive from second jobs. Such limits would not only enhance MPs' democratic accountability by encouraging a stronger focus on their primary responsibilities, but also help level the playing field, ensuring that female MPs have access to the same secondary income as their male counterparts.