David Davis has landed a £3,000-an-hour job with JCB, the multi-national construction giant led by a billionaire who has championed a no-deal Brexit.
Theresa May’s former Brexit Secretary disclosed his lucrative role as ‘external advisor’ for Lord Anthony Bamford’s firm in the official MP register of interests on Thursday.
It was revealed the Tory MP will make £60,000-a-year in 2019 and 2020 working just 20-hours-a-year for the firm.
JCB’s chief executive, Lord Bamford, is a staunch supporter of Brexit and a major donor to the Conservative Party.
He told the Telegraph in January that crashing out of the EU without a deal “would end uncertainty” for businesses.
Ferrari-collecting Lord Bamford and his brother, Mark Bamford, gave £2.5m to the Tories in 2017 either personally or through their firm.
The Bamford family also gave £643,000 to Leave groups during the 2016 Brexit referendum campaign, including £600,000 for Vote Leave, £33,000 for Grassroots Out and £10,000 for Brexit think tank the Bruges Group.
Lord Bamford also wrote to his employees during the referendum to explain his support for Leave, telling them the UK could strike global trade deals and the firm would prosper.
JCB was fined £35.5m by the European commission in 2000 for antitrust breaches.
Davis resigned from the Cabinet in July over the prime minister’s Chequers plan, saying he did not “believe” in the direction May was taking on Brexit.
The Haltemprice and Howden MP, who ran against David Cameron for the Tory leadership, has since argued for a hard Brexit.
Remain-backers have called Davis’ arrangement “an absolute insult” and “frankly disgusting”.
Jon Trickett, Labour’s shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: “What David Davis will get paid in 20 hours takes most people over two years to earn. But then again, under the Tories it’s one set of rules for the few and another for the many.
“Most people when reading this will no doubt think ‘snouts in the trough’, and this is exactly why Labour has repeatedly warned of the damage to the reputation of Parliament caused by arrangements like this and why they need to stop.”
Labour MP Ian Murray, who supports the pro-second EU referendum group, Best for Britain, said: “Having failed to properly plan for Brexit and storming out of the Cabinet, it’s frankly disgusting that David Davis is now picking up around £3,000-per-hour in his second job with JCB.
“What an absolute insult to the people of the UK who have been left facing deeper austerity and increased living costs as a result of the calamitous Brexit he campaigned for and still supports.”
Others took to Twitter to share their views.
HuffPost UK has contacted Davis for comment but has not yet received a reply.