Jacob Rees-Mogg under investigation by Commons commissioner

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross was also added to the list of MPs under investigation earlier today after referring himself to the commissioner after failing to declare thousands of pounds in outside earnings. 

This comes a month after Labour called for an investigation into Mr Rees-Mogg, who represents Bath and North East Somerset, over £6 million in loans the party said he did not declare properly. 

The loans came from his company, Saliston Ltd. 

Mr Rees-Mogg said the rules state earnings must be declared in the register, but "loans are not earnings and are not declarable in the register of interests". 

According to the commissioner’s website, Mr Rees-Mogg and Mr Ross are being investigated over "registration of an interest under category one of the Guide to the Rules (Employment and Earnings)", and their investigations refer to paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct.

The code states: "Members shall fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in respect of the registration of interests in the register of members’ financial interests.

"They shall always be open and frank in drawing attention to any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its committees, and in any communications with ministers, members, public officials or public office holders."

LOANS: Mr Rees Mogg said "Saliston is 100% owned by me and this is clearly declared in the Commons register and to the Cabinet Office (Image: House of Commons, PA Wire)

The commissioner does not confirm what claims she is investigating once a probe has been declared.

Last month, Labour called for Ms Stone to follow-up on claims in the Mail On Sunday that the Cabinet minister Mr Rees-Mogg failed to declare director’s loans from Saliston between 2018 and 2020.

Shadow leader of the House of Commons Thangam Debbonaire said there appeared to have been "yet another egregious breach of the rules". 

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner separately wrote to the independent adviser on ministers’ interests, Lord Geidt, over the loans.

In her letter, Ms Rayner said that failing to declare director’s loans worth £2.94 million a year "allowed Mr Rees-Mogg to borrow a large sum of money at a very low interest rate" and argued that it "should have been declared".

In a statement, Mr Rees-Mogg said: “Saliston is 100% owned by me and this is declared clearly in the Commons register and to the Cabinet Office.

"It has no activities that interact with government policy.

"The loans from 2018 were primarily taken out for the purchase and refurbishment of 7 Cowley Street as temporary cashflow measures. 

"All loans have either been repaid with interest in accordance with HMRC rules or paid as dividends and taxed accordingly.

"The register asks for earnings, not loans, which is why I was declared an as a non-remunerated director until I resigned on entering Government.

"Loans are not earnings and are not declarable in the register of interests."

REFEREE: Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross referred himself to the commissioner over undeclared income, including over £6,000 from football matches (Image: Jane Barlow, PA Wire)

According to The Herald, Mr Ross failed to declare £28,218.57 in earnings from his second job as an MSP and third job as a football referee.

The undeclared income includes £21,490 in a top-up salary from his role as an MSP, and £6,728.57 from 16 football matches in 2020 and 2021.

Speaking to The Herald, Mr Ross said: "Since realising my mistake last week, I contacted the Office of the Register of Interests and made them aware of the situation.

"All payments have now been declared, including those from my MSP salary that are donated to charities."

Read more: Jacob Rees-Mogg admits encouraging PM to protect Owen Paterson was a 'mistake'