Cashing in: The ex-ministers who have gone private

And for a large number of former Labour ministers, the cheques just keep on coming.

Twenty-eight have been accused of cashing in on their erstwhile positions of authority by taking jobs in business.

The politicians, who include one-time senior Cabinet members such as David Blunkett and Patricia Hewitt, are raking in a total of £10million from their contracts.

Thirteen of those who have accepted jobs in the last two years are still serving MPs, and many have potential conflicts of interest because their companies bid for Government contracts.

In opposition, Gordon Brown used to make huge political capital about Tory ministers leaving to join the private sector. He criticised the process as a 'revolving door' from the 'cabinet room to the boardroom'.

Now it is his Labour colleagues in the firing line. But none of the 28 former ministers has broken any rules because they have all been approved by the parliamentary advisory committee on business appointments.

Ministers must consult the body if they wish to accept private-sector jobs within two years of leaving office. The committee has advised an ex-minister not to accept a business post on only one occasion.

This was revealed last week by committee chairman Lord Mayhew, but he did not disclose the dentity of the person in question.

Lord Maclennan, one of the committee members, said ministers who worked in a department such as the Ministry of Defence made decisions on large contracts and it would be a concern if bidders were viewed as possible future employers.

MPs have demanded tougher rules on ministers cashing in on their connections.

Paul Flynn, a Labour member of the Commons public administration committee, said he could not remember ministers "hopping into the private sector like this".

He added: "They should be banned for life from taking jobs in the areas in which they have served as ministers. It is a way of buying access."

Among the ministers to have found fortune in the private sector are:

• Melanie Johnson, Public Health Minister (ABPI, drug trade body).

• Lord Warner, Health Minister (UK HealthGateway, health access company).

• Baroness Amos, Leader of the House of Lords (Travant Capital Partners, finance).

• Hilary Armstrong MP, Labour chief whip (GovNet Communications, publisher).

• Alan Milburn MP, Health Secretary (PepsiCo).

• John Reid MP, Home Secretary (chairman, Celtic Football Club).

And the daddy of them all, Tony Blair, has taken lucrative positions at JP Morgan and Zurich Financial Services since stepping down as Prime Minister last summer. Both jobs are worth more than &£2million a year.

Hewitt & Co

For two years, Patricia Hewitt was in charge of the nation's well-being as Health Secretary.

Following her departure last summer she has accepted a consultancy position at Alliance Boots worth £45,000; and a £55,000 job with an investment company which bought 25 private hospitals from Bupa.

David Blunkett, the former Home Secretary, is paid more than £25,000 as an adviser to Entrust, which wants to provide technology for a British identity card scheme.

Former Defence Minister Ivor Caplin went to work for a weapons company selling to the Defence Ministry, as did Lord Bach, although he has now left the company and returned to government.

Former Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman works for ITIS Holdings, which sells traffic data to the Department of Transport.

Former Housing Minister Nick Raynsford works for Hometrack, the property data company.

Former Work and Pensions Minister Baroness Hollis works for the Higham Group, pensions consultants.

And Ian McCartney, the former Trade Minister, is paid £113,000 to advise the Fluor Corporation, which is bidding for a multi-million-pound nuclear waste contract.