Cameron’s shadow cabinet in revolt

Tory leader David Cameron's Shadow Cabinet team are in open revolt against his attempts to curb their lucrative outside earnings. Those who have reacted badly to his demand include, says the Independent, shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague (pictured), who earned £110,000 from after-dinner speaking this year, and the shadow Trade Secretary Alan Duncan, who owns a firm of consultants working on oil and gas projects.

Cameron's move to get his chums to stop their moonlighting activites is aimed at reassuring the public that there will be no conflicts of interest if they form the next government. One Tory insider said his leader's demands "would send a very strong signal to the voters that we are squeaky clean. The best solution would be a ban on second jobs, so that we don't look like part-timer politicians".

But one shadow minister said yesterday: "This would be gesture politics. It wouldn't impress anyone. It is a good thing to have experience of business, especially in the current economic climate." Another frontbencher described the idea as "socialist", pointing out that Cameron and George Osborne, whose father co-founded the luxury wallpaper and fabrics company Osborne & Little, had wealthy backgrounds. "George has a trust fund - he doesn't need a second job," said the source. And a senior Tory said that he a "good few" of his shadow cabinet might quit if they are forced to take their noses out of the trough.

This appears to have resulted in something of a retreat by the Tory leader. One aide conceded yesterday: "It is not something he will do in the near future," but added: "This is not something David has ruled out. He may want to do something nearer the election."

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