Greed is good if you’re a Tory

It seems these days if you become an MP it’s a stepping stone to make a fortune outside Westminster. Sadly, this is damaging to politicians in general.

The outrageous case of Geoffrey Cox, who pocketed almost £1million in the past year assisting the British Virgin Islands’ government is just one example. Look at other Tory high-fliers making fortunes through privilege as MPs.

Surely, they are supposed to be there for their constituents while in office, not going AWOL to make a fortune abroad? Did Cox put a note on his constituency office saying ‘Gone to lunch, back soon’?

At a time when thousands of people can barely put a loaf of bread on the table and keep warm, all MPs should step up to the plate. It’s about time they’re banned from taking second jobs, especially lucrative set-ups like Cox has.

Bill Cook, Teignmouth, Devon

There needs to be a full and open public inquiry into how the Government has run the country during this pandemic. Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock’s affairs both require further scrutiny, as well as ministers and those with links to the Government who are using their positions to benefit themselves.

Their underhand tactics are a total disgrace. To hold public office is a great honour and they should be squeaky clean, but this crowd is the worst we’ve had for sleaze. Keep up the good work, Daily Mirror. Keep probing. Alan Robinson, Liverpool

Typical Boris Johnson trying to hide behind the Union flag. When asked about sleaze at COP26, he said Britain is not a “remotely corrupt country”.

We all know that – the accusation is that he and his government are corrupt, not our country.

Johnson and his cronies’ schoolboy antics and falsehoods have brought Great Britain into shameful disrepute on the world stage. They should never be allowed inside the same room as our Union flag. Their mere presence disgraces it.

Peter McGraghan Darlington, Co Durham

If MPs aren’t breaking the rules to line their own pockets then the rules must change to plug the loopholes. Once again we see a minority, motivated by greed and selfishness, exploiting the system for their own financial rewards.

If an MP cannot exist on a very generous salary, they should resign and leave it to those who can. John Sedgwick, Tamworth, Staffs

I must be living in a parallel universe. MPs earn £ 81,932 a year,

plus expenses to help run their offices, while the taxpayers also subsidise their food and drink at Westminster.

Then you have MPs like Geoffrey Cox and Owen Paterson working to benefit themselves proving, once again, it’s one rule for them and another for everybody else.

JR Williams, East London

As much as I detest Boris Johnson as our Prime Minister, I’m willing to put up with him being in Number 10 until the next election as by that time there must be a good chance the electorate will have become so fed up with his sleazy antics, Labour will win by a landslide.

Tim Wood, Tonbridge, Kent

Refusing to apologise for the sleaze scandal, Boris Johnson said, “The most important thing is those who break the rules must be investigated and should be punished”.

Wasn’t Priti Patel investigated and found to have broken the rules?

Where was her punishment? Stuart Magrath, Wigan