The MP for the Cotswolds has opposed an outright ban on MPs having second jobs.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, treasurer of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, has said that banning all second jobs would deter ‘a whole class of people’ from parliament.

This comes following the resignation of Owen Paterson, who was found to have made more than £100,000 a year as a paid consultant whilst serving as MP for North Shropshire.

Sir Clifton-Brown has said he would support the ban of paid consultancy but would not go so far as to ban all second jobs.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “I think we all need to take a long, deep breath on this and get it right.

“There are two real aspects to it. One is how we represent our constituents. And the second is what sort of type of people we want in Parliament.

“If you go further and ban all second jobs, as I say it will have the effect of deterring people who have good skills outside who are professionals, who actually I think bring quite a lot to the house in terms of their experience.

“Because if we ban all second jobs, I think you are going to deter a whole class of people who represent the business opportunities in this country.”

He has suggested candidates should declare outside jobs, leaving it to the voters to decide.

He said: “I think one way of getting round this would be to say to all new candidates standing for elections ‘you have to declare an outside job, how many hours you’re going to do and how much you’re paid, and then your electorate can take a view on that and elect you or not as they wish’.”

According to Sir Clifton-Brown, the whole situation with Mr Paterson has led to “dissatisfaction” on the Tory back benches.

He added that he will make his views known to Boris Johnson today, Wednesday, November 17, however it is unclear if the PM will speak to backbench MPs.

He told Today: “There is dissatisfaction on the back benches and that is why the Prime Minister needs to make it very clear to members of Parliament what he expects from us.

“Various discussions will be taking place between backbenchers today and the Prime Minister, and I’ve no doubt I will have an opportunity to make my views known.

“We need to get the rules absolutely clear on what MPs can do, what they can’t do, so that our constituents have an expectation of what the person representing them is going to do.”