Greater Manchester's MPs have declared £1,611,920 in gifts, donations and outside earnings since the 2019 General Election, it has emerged. The vast majority was made by four of the region's most high-profile parliamentarians - Shadow Cabinet members Angela Rayner and Lisa Nandy, former Labour leadership contender Rebecca Long-Bailey and Sir Graham Brady, chair of the Conservative Party's 1922 Committee.
That puts her in the top two per cent of all MPs with only 10 other members having taken in more money than her. Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader and MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, declared financial interests worth £300,200, the vast majority of which were donations from trade unions. Former prime minister Theresa May is the highest-earning MP, receiving £2.8 million in payments and gifts. Most of this income relates to Mrs May's speaking engagements, which her entry in the MPs' Register of Interests states are paid to the Office of Theresa May Ltd and used to pay for staff and charitable work.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has also welcomed the publication of the Westminster Accounts, telling Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme 'transparency is a good thing'. Mr Brady has declared 124 financial interests worth £193,500 of payments and gifts. The largest single item he declared was a £20,000 donation from Savvas Savouri.
Ms Rayner's interests came from 24 different sources. The top five sources are: GMB Union, Lord Waheed Alli, The Communications Workers Union , Martin Taylor and Trevor Chinn. Salford and Eccles Labour MP Rebecca Long Bailey, told the MEN: "I have no outside earnings whatsoever, beyond my salary as an MP. During my Labour leadership election campaign in 2020 I called upon all candidates to disclose who was funding their election campaigns to lead the party.
A spokesman for Lisa Nandy said: "All donations to Lisa’s office are declared in line with parliamentary rules. Many of the donations highlighted by Sky News were received as part of the Labour leadership election in 2020, to cover staff salaries and office running costs. All future donations will continue to be fully and transparently declared in line with the rules.
The value of Ms Qureshi’s interests puts her in the top 37 per cent of all MPs. Since the start of the current parliament, 241 members have taken in more money than this MP.
Whilst we all knew Tory MPs are only interested in serving their donors and not us, the below also confirms Sir Trilateral Starner is just a Red Tory - democracy is no pure illusion
Do MPs declare expenses?