Calls in UK parliament for BVI govt’s COI lawyer to be investigated
Labour Party Members of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom are calling for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to launch an investigation into Sir Geoffrey Cox, QC — the lead attorney representing BVI government ministers in the Commission of Inquiry (COI).
Sir Geoffrey — an MP in the Prime Minister Johnson’s administration — is being targeted for investigation because he reportedly earned almost £900,000 through jobs outside Parliament.
According to the BBC, part of those earnings are from his wages from representing the BVI government.
According to the Register of Members’ Interests — where MPs have to declare earnings outside of Parliament — Sir Cox was paid £156,916.08 before Value-Added Tax (VAT) for 140 hours of work from the start of 2021 until September 7 in the BVI for Withers LLP.
In addition to that, the Queen’s Counsel also earned more than £280,000 with the same firm for almost 300 hours of work between January and July this year. Sir Cox has also declared on the register that from November 1, he would receive £400,000-plus VAT annually from Withers LLP for up to 41 hours of work a month.
According to the BBC, a statement by Withers Law Firm, the firm representing the Cabinet Ministers in the BVI during the ongoing COI, confirmed the MP has been working for them as a consultant global counsel since September of last year.
“As a leading QC, we very much value Sir Geoffrey’s huge depth of expertise and experience in domestic and international legal disputes,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Labour Chair Anneliese Dodds accused the Queen’s Counsel of taking advantage of the UK’s COVID-19 restrictions to work remotely from the Caribbean.
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said all Members of Parliament should be “visible in their constituencies and available to help constituents with their constituency matters”.
The spokesperson added, “if they’re not doing that, they’re not doing their job and will rightly be judged on that by constituents”.
The former UK Attorney General, who represents Torridge and West Devon in Parliament, was in the Virgin Islands for a number of weeks as counsel for the government and also carried out his function as an MP which included voting in parliament.
Dodds, in her letter further said: “The irony is not lost on me that he arrived in the Caribbean on the day that those MPs who actually feel a sense of duty to their constituents were debating global anti-corruption standards. The people of Torridge and West Devon must be wondering if Geoffrey Cox is a Caribbean-based barrister or a Conservative MP.”
Sir Cox has yet to answer the reports on his earnings outside of parliament but the BBC reported that checks with his constituency office revealed the MP was abroad.
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I’m shocked, laughing my a** off. Foy has already spent $3mil on lawyers that sit and watch the hearings. They also fill out requests because Foy and the rest can’t do it. Clear lack of edumacation. So I guess the people are ok with the $3mil since it saved the reputation of the BVI. New slogan. “Nature’s Little Corrupt Secret” and/or.” BVI hates clears”. “Send your money but stay away”. Tourism Board are you listening?
Lol face alone says a lot
I wonder if FOY dem knew about this all the while pretending that they fighting for the BVI secret.
Foy you spent $3mil to try and keep you and your cronies out of prison. How about telling it like it’s is for a change.
Not content with spending our money on lawyers even Sowande says don’t give good advice, our government employs a qc who is moonlighting from his day job as an MP.
For a million a year while his constituents suffer the pandemic without him. The best thing is, this shows how in the UK anyone in government who steps out of line is brought to account. That’s the difference between us and the UK. Here the government Covers up and sends us the bill.
I wonder how come this isn’t breaking news on the yellow site which bring more UK news than the BBC?
So he was supposed to be at work in the house of commons while he was here questioning the auditor general? He need locking up!
MOONLIGHTING IN THE BVI WHILE EATING OFF TAXPAYERS IN BOTH COUNTRIES AT THE SAME TIME……..WOW!
I often wondered why he always smiling, now I know!!
Kind of shows you that a corrupt Government needs a dodgy lawyer to defend them. He clearly understands the way they operate.
And them painting the COI lawyers white. Now I wonder who in the HOA will take this matter to Court.
More sleaze. The laggard should be voted out. How can you represent a constituency in the UK while trying to defend a VERY QUESTIONABLE BVI government. Withers LLP should be investigated too. Crooked lawyers everywhere.
No No No. He is free to do so. All that is required is for him to fully disclose his interest which he did. Its up to his constituency next election to vote him in or out if they are dissatisfied.
Politicians don’t need to have a conscience once it’s not in the law or rules to do what’s right. Thanks Hon. Shereen for not being a politician.
And who is paying his huge fees? BVI taxpayer no doubt. I hope his constituents vote him out and the BVI vote out this VIP – rotten to the core or grossly incompetent? You choose…
U.K. Press are missing the biggest story: Cox is defending the allegedly corrupt (corroborated by many witnesses) BVI Government against an investigation called by the U.K. Government! He is basically being paid a fortune to defend the baddies!!
YOUR HONOR WE ARE WAITING TO SEE HOW YOU GOING TO SPIN YOUR WEB OF DECEIT, WE ALREADY KNOW HOW YOU CAN WIGGKLE OUT OF EVERYTHING WITH YOUR FAKE CHARM
UNCONVENTIONAL LEADERSHIP!
Pure WICKEDNESS. What goes on in the dark will always come to light.
UNBELIEVABLE!
Was Mr. Cox called to the BVI Bar? Guessing that he has.
Yes, it’s only the COI lawyers that are breaking the criminal law
They don’t need to be called to the Bar for the inquiry. If they’re going to prosecute then yes.
Not seeing this on the Cartoon News Site. Their bias is so blatant and obvious, their professionalizm is sinking in the toilet,, They like to Print the News out of Britain how come they not printing this one…All of them going down…All in all they are seeing as one, their mission is to oppress the truth…
I fail to appreciate the context of this piece of news reporting. As clearly alluded to, the QC made full disclosures. An act that is absolutely transparent and above board. Clearly, his action demonstrates the desired behaviours that should be embraced or adopted by our Ministers here in the BVI.
The greater context is that in the midst of a pandemic, he physically left his constituents to come here to work, leaving over stretched colleagues to pick up the slack. In their time of greatest need, he chose money over the people who entrusted him with their votes. So he followed the correct procedure and declared the earnings but it’s the ethics and the optics that are funky.
Two things: Outrageous fees paid by the BVI taxpayer. Indefensible corruption and/or incompetence by the govt. A third thing not directly affecting the BVI: How can he do his UK job while his snout is in the BVI trough…
eat your heart out
Shows contempt to the COI. Could duck out of a court hearing for 20 minutes. He is a QC – which is not a regulated body. They show contempt to the Courts .
Look nonsense … Jaspert and the new Governor really must be afraid of Cox his cross examination… this thing really political…let Dodds deal with Boris and his cabinet first
. Look nonsense… bring on the cross examination. I don’t see why it had to be delayed. When they ambush Wheatley with that belonger application questions the commissioner didn’t delay it then to make sure Wheatley was on equal footing
A wise man will see thru all this U.K. shenanigans
… was he to wait to get the documents electronically or by fedex?? It save the BVI taxpayers money that he was here in this all important case… this woman Dodds knows nothing about how lawyers work
If he got paid 157,000.00 for 140 hours before VAT just guess how much Whither’s has charged our Government. Cox will have needed First Class Air, First Class Accommodations, First Class food and transportation…..
Even Cox disclosure is is criticised. Wow
I do not believe everthing I read on the news especially when a witch hunt is in progress. I respect the QC’s decision to represent the BVI Government and feel assured that this is much to do about nothing. let us wait and see. I know this will not be printed on this site.
This is why we need a register of interests which is publicly accessible. He is caught red handed, and now consequences are coming for him. Imagine how prosperous this could be if we had the same here.
When they turn on themselves. Imagine when they fully let go on us. Money well spent.
He did nothing illegal. He did both jobs and with full diclosure, for all to see .. One virtual and one in person and for very short length of time.
Kudos to Cox !!!!
When I grow up ,I want to be like him.