Nigel Farage earned £270,000 for 12 hours of work promoting gold bullion – more than £22,500 an hour. That single payment, declared in the register of MPs' financial interests, is the largest he has registered since becoming an MP. It has reignited debate about the rules governing second jobs for members of Parliament.
MPs are allowed to take on paid work outside their parliamentary duties, but they must record any income that exceeds £300 per year in the Commons register of interests. They are explicitly banned from providing paid parliamentary advice – for example, lobbying or consulting on how to influence Parliament. There is no cap on how much they can earn, nor a limit on the number of hours they can work, though the rules require that their outside employment does not interfere with their duties as an MP.
“An explainer on the rules for MPs' second jobs, using Nigel Farage's £270,000 gold bullion deal as a case study.”
Farage's latest declaration, for work as a brand ambassador for Direct Bullion, covers an estimated four hours per month over three months – a total of 12 hours. He has previously registered payments from the same company: £91,200 in February 2025 and £135,000 in November 2025. He also recorded £18,402 for his work as a presenter on GB News. Separately, he has earned more than £80,000 from filming personalised messages on the Cameo website, though he paused that service in March 2025 citing security reasons.
The issue has drawn political criticism. Labour chair Anna Turley said Farage "should be focused on putting more pounds back in his Clacton constituents' pockets rather than racking up payments off the back of gold sales." A spokesman for Farage said: "As has previously been reported and declared, Nigel Farage is a brand ambassador for Direct Bullion."
Beyond his declared earnings, Farage faces a separate investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards into a £5m gift he received from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne in January 2024, before he returned as Reform leader and was elected as an MP that summer. Farage initially said the money was for security, then called it an "unconditional gift" and a "reward" for his Brexit campaigning. He has refused to say how it has been spent. The commissioner is examining whether the gift should have been declared as a political donation.
Q: What are the rules on MPs having second jobs? MPs can hold outside jobs, but they must register any income over £300 a year in the Commons register of interests. They cannot provide paid parliamentary advice or paid lobbying services. There is no legal limit on total earnings or hours, but the rules require that outside work does not conflict with parliamentary duties.
Q: Is Nigel Farage being investigated for breaking the rules? The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is investigating whether Farage failed to declare a £5m gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. The investigation centres on whether the gift was related to his political activity and should have been registered. Farage argues it was a personal, unconditional gift given before he became an MP.
Q: What could happen if an MP is found to have broken the rules? If the standards commissioner finds a breach, they can recommend sanctions to the Commons Committee on Standards, ranging from a formal apology to suspension from the House. In serious cases, MPs can face a recall petition, which could trigger a by-election. No decision has been made in Farage's case.
What happens next? The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards continues its investigation into the £5m gift. Farage has not indicated any change to his outside work. The issue of MPs' second jobs is likely to remain under scrutiny as declarations are published quarterly. The growing value of his outside earnings – including from bullion promotion, GB News, and Cameo – keeps the spotlight on how the rules accommodate such arrangements.