Where there’s a will, there’s a way (around Parliamentary regulations)

James wrote earlier on plans to make MPs formally declare any family members who work for them.  But, if the New Statesman’s Kevin Maguire is right, the new measures may be to little avail.  The reason?  Well, the MPs have a cunning plan: 

“Wife swapping is the name of the game, swinging the new earner. A snitch of unimpeachable integrity, a distinguished public servant no less, overheard a huddle of MPs trading partners behind the Speaker’s chair. Discretion prevents my snout naming names, but the cunning plan is to survive the collapse of Del Boy Conway’s family business by employing each other’s spouses. Now “Big Mick” Martin is apprised of what’s been going on behind his chair, he can ban wife swaps. Unless, of course, Mr Speaker needs to find a humble backbencher to pick up Mrs Speaker’s £4,280.20 taxi tab.”