MPs could be banned from taking second jobs under plans being drawn up by a minister.

Backbench Labour MPs are keen to highlight how many of their Conservative colleagues have lucrative directorships and other well-paid jobs. But their call for a ban could backfire, as at least 32 former ministers under Tony Blair and other Labour MPs have landed sought-after jobs in the private sector in the past two years. Ending outside jobs for MPs is one proposal in a paper compiled by deputy Commons leader Helen Goodman, according to The Independent newspaper. Ms Goodman's study is understood to conclude that two thirds of Tory MPs have second jobs, 37 per cent of Liberal Democrats and 19 per cent of Labour.

Labour backbenchers with no outside interests regularly point out directorship income enjoyed by senior Conservative figures, such as shadow foreign secretary William Hague and Conservative policy supremo Oliver Letwin.

But former Labour cabinet ministers Patricia Hewitt, Charles Clarke, David Blunkett and Lord Falconer have also all taken up work in addition to their parliamentary roles.

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