Commons Rules Under Spotlight After Jonathan Brash Donor Job Complaint..
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Political Donors Can Be Hired By MPs — But Watchdog Warns Against ‘Reward’ Appointments..
19th May 2026
Labour MP for Hartlepool Jonathan Brash has dodged an immediate Commons standards investigation over the appointment of one of his political donors as Office Manager, after the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards confirmed there are currently no specific rules restricting how MPs recruit their staff.
The response came after its claimed concerns were raised shortly before the May local elections over the appointment of Anthony Frain, who previously donated £3,000 to Mr Brash’s election campaign before later taking up a senior role in the Labour MP’s parliamentary office.
The issue had raised questions locally about whether a political donor being appointed to a publicly funded parliamentary job could create the appearance of a conflict of interest.
However, in a response seen by The Teesside & Durham Post this week, the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards said the Commissioner had already considered the wider issue of MPs employing political donors.
The correspondence stated:
“There are no rules or restrictions relating to the processes by which Members recruit their employees.”
The response points to the Commissioner’s annual report, where the Commissioner considered a number of complaints about MPs employing individuals who had donated to their election campaigns. In that report, the he said MPs continue to have significant autonomy over how they select and appoint staff, and that there is no centralised mechanism for recruitment and deployment of MPs’ staff.
But the Commissioner also issued an important warning to MPs.
Although there is no specific prohibition preventing an MP from employing someone with whom they have had previous financial or other dealings, the Commissioner said MPs should take care to ensure that employment is not offered in a way that is, or could reasonably be seen as, a reward or payment connected to those previous dealings.
That warning is likely to keep the issue politically sensitive for Mr Brash.
While the response doesn't suggest that any investigation has been opened, it does confirm that the wider issue of MPs employing donors has already caused concern within the parliamentary standards system.
The Commissioner’s annual report said:
“I plan to raise this as a matter for the Committee’s consideration in the next review of the Code of Conduct.”
That means the rules could potentially be looked at again in future, especially if concerns continue to be raised about donors later being appointed to taxpayer-funded parliamentary roles.
At present, the only significant restriction identified by the Commissioner relates to MPs employing family members and other closely connected persons. Since 2017, rules on MPs’ expenses have restricted new employment arrangements involving family members and connected parties.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority also states that it regulates and administers MPs’ staffing and business costs, including MPs’ staff pay and pensions.
The key distinction appears to be that while MPs’ staffing costs are publicly funded and regulated, the actual recruitment process remains largely a matter for the individual MP.
That may mean the complaint against Mr Brash faces a high threshold unless evidence emerges that the appointment of Mr Frain was offered as a reward for his earlier donation, or that parliamentary resources were misused.
The House of Commons Code of Conduct says MPs must base their conduct on the public interest, avoid conflicts between personal interest and the public interest, and resolve any conflict immediately in favour of the public interest. It also says MPs must not take action that would cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons.
For many, the concern isn't simply whether Mr Brash technically broke an existing rule. The concern is whether the appointment of a known political donor to a senior paid role creates the perception that political loyalty or financial support may have played a part, however for Mr Brash himself, the Commissioner’s response may provide some reassurance that there is no automatic ban on MPs employing donors.
But the warning from the standards watchdog also makes it clear that MPs must be careful to avoid any arrangement that could reasonably be viewed as a reward for previous financial or political support.
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