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Alan Milburn to stand down as an MP

Jun 28 2009 Sunday Sun

Under Commons reforms, from July 1 all MPs will have to declare how much they are paid for outside jobs and how many hours they spend on them.

Mr Milburn is expected to be one of the highest earners in the Labour Party when the figures emerge. He works for firms including Lloyds Pharmacy and PepsiCo.

Mr Milburn escaped relatively unscathed from the expenses scandal, despite claiming more than £20,000 in each of the years between 2004 and 2008.

The 51-year-old entered the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 1998, before being promoted to health secretary the following year.

As a close ally of Tony Blair, he was tipped as a potential successor as Prime Minister.

However, in 2003 he abruptly quit, blaming pressure on his family life from working long hours in London.

Mr Milburn returned to Government in 2004 as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and there was speculation – which came to nothing – that Mr Blair was grooming him in a bid to prevent Mr Brown taking over as leader.

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