Conservative MPs are threatening to throw the towel if Labour moves forward with its proposed clampdown on second jobs.
New rules designed to crack down on outside work were passed by the Commons in July and come into force this month, leaving many people on the opposition benches questioning whether public service is for them.
According to reports in The Times, up to a dozen Conservative MPs are considering standing down before the next election due to the impending changes.
Senior party sources have told the newspaper that they expected “a drip of resignations” to begin after the Tory leadership contest, starting in the new year.
Those who served in Rishi Sunak’s government and who were passed over for senior shadow cabinet roles are said to be most likely to quit.
One former cabinet minister has told colleagues that they are “growing tired of the job” and “thinking about how much more they can make on the outside”, while another has been offered a job in the United States and has told allies that they will take the job if they are not given a senior role under the next Conservative leader.
In July, MPs backed a plan from the new Labour government to tighten rules on what they can do in an outside job.
They approved changes to get rid of exemptions allowing them to advise employers on “public policy” and how Parliament works in general.
Commons leader Lucy Powell said the move would get rid of a potential “loophole” and ensure MPs focused on their constituents.
She said the rule tweak would help “turn the page” on standards after a series of controversies in the last parliament.
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