Devon MP says ‘honest mistake’ over son’s volunteering

Rachel Gilmour had referred herself to parliament's standards commissioner

Tiverton and Minehead MP Rachel Gilmour has referred herself to parliament’s standards commissioner after admitting an “honest mistake” by letting her son help set her office up.

Ms Gilmour, a Lib Dem, listed Henry Oliver as a member of her staff in the register of members’ interests that currently goes up to 10 January.

However, MPs haven’t been able to employ ‘new connected parties’, such as close family members since 2017, although people employed before that can stay in their jobs.

“This was an honest mistake. Henry was assisting me with the setting up of my office in a voluntary capacity after I was elected,” Ms Gilmour said.

“As soon as I became aware of this mistake, I rescinded his pass and referred myself to the standards commissioner.”

The mother-of-four won her seat in last year’s general election in her fourth attempt to become an MP.

Ms Gilmour, who remains a district councillor on Mid Devon District Council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) in September that she would be donating her allowance for this role to a local charity.

“I’m about to change the situation with my councillor allowance, so I won’t be claiming it personally,” she said.

Alongside her basic annual salary as an MP of £91,346, the basic allowance for district councillors in Mid Devon is £6,000 a year.

MPs are allowed to have outside roles, although Labour wants to tighten the rules around what is allowed.

She added at the time that she did not view being a councillor as a job, but rather “a commitment”.

According to LinkedIn, Mr Oliver works for market research firm Opinium. Last year, he wrote on the social media platform that he was “really proud to share news from the homeland that my awesome mother, Rachel Gilmour, has been announced as the Liberal Democrats’ prospective parliamentary candidate for the new seat of Tiverton & Minehead ahead of the upcoming general election”.