As promised, Chris Bryant’s Standards Committee has come out with a nine-point list to clean up Parliament’s standards rules. Here’s Guido’s precis for co-conspirators:

1. An outright ban on Members providing paid parliamentary advice, consultancy or strategy services
2. MPs must have a written contract for any outside work, explicitly saying they cannot lobby
3. Clarifying the “serious wrong exemption” rule in the lobbying code
4. Double the six-month limit on reward or consideration restrictions in the lobbying rules to 12 months
5. Encouraging MPs to seek expert advice before acting, meaning they cannot ‘accidentally’ breach the code of conduct
6. Ending the ministerial exemption to register gifts and hospitality
7. Improve the transparency and searchability of the register
8. Adding a new code of conduct rule banning MPs from subjecting anyone to “unreasonable and excessive personal attack”
9. Adding an 8^th principle to the public life principles – “Respect”

This last one is already facing significant opposition from MPs…