East Lancashire MPs' register of financial interest entries

According to the Register of Members' Financial Interests, published routinely by the Houses of Parliament, five of the six MPs covering East Lancashire have declared extra payments on top of their £86,584 annual salary, donations, or gifts linked to their jobs as MPs, since October 2023.

Members of Parliament are required to declare payments, gifts or donations over a certain cash amount which go on public record.

The amounts are more than £100 for extra work, more than £300 for gifts or trips abroad, more than £1,500 for donations, and also around property or land owned, shareholdings, and if they employ family members in their parliamentary staff.

We last revealed the extras the region’s MPs had been receiving in October 2023, with this latest round-up covering the period between October 16 and May 13.

These include second jobs, the donation of hospitality tickets to sporting events and trips abroad.

The only MP who has no entries on the register in this period is Pendle’s Andrew Stephenson - this doesn't necessarily mean he hasn't received any gifts or donations, just that they haven't passed the value threshold.

These are all the payments and gifts East Lancashire’s MPs have received between October 2033 and May 13:

Jake Berry (Conservative), Rossendale and Darwen

Mr Berry has by far and away the most entries on the register, mainly due to the TV work he does on the side of his job as an MP.

Since October he has been paid roughly £40,000 for appearing as a panellist or hosting shows on TalkTV and its radio station.

He has also received private donations in the thousands, some of which are paid to the constituency party, plus tickets to this year’s Grand National at Aintree.

Jake Berry was in hospitality for the Grand National (Image: PA)

Here is the full list of declarations made by Jake Berry:

• October 23 – Private donation from Michael Hintze of £3,000.
• November 6 – Payment of £360 by News UK for appearing as a panellist on Talk TV’s First Edition show on September 19, two hours’ work.
• November 27 – Paid £360 by News UK for appearing on First Edition on October 17, two hours’ work.
• December 18 – Donation of £10,000 to Rossendale & Darwen Conservative Association by the Northern Campaign Group, based in Bacup.
• January 8 – Paid £7,500 by News UK for hosting six radio shows between November 17 and December 15, and one panellist appearance on November 27, a total of 19 hours’ work.
• January 15 – Donation of £15,000 to local party or central party by Northern Campaign Group, based in Bacup.
• January 23 – Paid £13,200 by News UK for hosting 11 shows between December 12 and January 12, a total of 44 hours’ work.
• February 23 – Paid £7,200 by News UK for hosting six shows on Talk TV and two panel appearances between January 16 and February 16, a total of 20 hours’ work.
• February 28 – Donation of £10,000 to Rossendale & Darwen Conservative Association by the Portcullis Club.
• March 11 – Paid £2,106 by Reach for writing four articles for the Sunday Express, four hours’ work.
• March 15 – Private donation of £5,000 by Michael Hintze.
• March 22 – Paid £3,600 for hosting three shows on Talk TV between February 23 and March 15, a total of 12 hours’ work.
• April 11 – Paid £504 by Reach for writing articles, four hours’ work.
• April 23 – Paid £6,000 by News UK for hosting four shows on Talk TV, a total of 12 hours’ work.
• April 23 – Gifted a ticket and hospitality to The Grand National at Aintree, worth £496, by Randox Health Ltd.
• May 1 – Paid £504 by Reach for writing one article for the Sunday Express, two hours’ work.

Sara Britcliffe (Conservative), Hyndburn

The Hyndburn MP Miss Britcliffe has enjoyed a gifted ski trip and concert tickets since October, plus donations to the borough’s Conservative Association.

These included seeing some of pop music’s biggest stars and also having the cost of Christmas card production covered by a local business.

Sara Britcliffe was back at Davos for a ski trip - with some political meetings too (Image: Canva)

The full list of declarations by Sara Britcliffe:

• November 29 – A donation of £2,500 to the local party or central party by the Cayzer Trust Company Ltd.
• December 22 – The donation of a ticket with hospitality worth £362.75 by ITV for An Audience with Kylie Minogue at the Royal Albert Hall.
• December 22 – A part-time salary of £10,000 per annum for the role of deputy chair of the Conservative Party, focusing on candidates and women, a role held since November 24, 2023.
• December 27 – A donation of £6,484 towards the printing of Christmas cards and a leaflet, which were sent to Hyndburn constituents, from Padiham-based What More UK Ltd.
• January 30 - The donation of ski passes, ski guides, formal dinner and receptions in Davos, Switzerland, worth an estimated £898, by Davos Klosters Bergbahnen AG, for a trip from January 2 to 6 for the 68th Annual British-Swiss Parliamentary ski week with the APPG for Switzerland, including meetings with Swiss politicians and diplomats.
• February 26 – A donation of £5,000 to the local or central party by Stoic Roofing and Construction Ltd, based in Olney, Buckinghamshire.
• April 12 – Gifted a ticket and hospitality as a guest of the Brit Awards, worth £1,500, from fellow MP Caroline Nokes.

Nigel Evans (Conservative), Ribble Valley

Deputy Speaker Mr Evans has only made one declaration in recent months, for a trip to the Middle East.

His declaration is:

• December 21 – A donation of flights, accommodation and food, worth £5,900, for a trip to Doha in Qatar from December 8 to 11, from the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to participate in the Doha Forum 2023 with a focus on geopolitics, the impact of AI, economic development, defence, cybersecurity, food security, climate change and sustainability.

Antony Higginbotham (Conservative), Burnley

Burnley backbencher Mr Higginbotham was another MP who received an all-expenses trip abroad for work purposes, also visiting the Middle East.

He also received a donation for the local party association from a business in the constituency.

Mr Higginbotham’s declarations were:

• March 11 – Flights worth £1,491, accommodation costing £821 and subsistence of £621, with a total value of £2,933 for a trip to Israel from February 11 to 14, donated by ELNET UK, for a pan-European and cross-party parliamentary delegation to discuss the events of October 7 and the conflict in Gaza, organised by the European Leadership Network to Israel.
• March 12 – A donation of £5,000 to the local party organisation from Andrew Brown Leisure Ltd, based at Crow Wood Leisure Centre in Burnley.

Kate Hollern was in the stands when Rovers thrashed Wrexham in the FA Cup (Image: PA Images)

Kate Hollern (Labour), Blackburn

Mrs Hollern made one declaration in recent months, for a trip to Ewood Park to cheer on her hometown club.

The declaration was:

• February 7 – A gift of two match tickets with hospitality, worth £360, provided by Blackburn Rovers’ board of directors, for the FA Cup fourth round tie between Blackburn Rovers and Wrexham AFC on January 29, which Rovers won 4-1.

Andrew Stephenson (Conservative), Pendle

Mr Stephenson, minister of state for health and secondary care since November, made no declaration on the register between October 2023 and May 2024.

This does not necessarily mean he received no gifts, donations or payment for secondary work, just that none of it met the threshold requiring it to be declared.