by 
Tory MP and ERG member Mark Francois has been given special permission not to come into work at his supermarket Saturday job on 19th October, so he can attend parliament for his other job.
Francois, who has been working at his local Tesco supermarket for three years in various shop-floor roles, said he was grateful to his supervisor – a 21-year-old named Sarah – for allowing him the time off so he could try and do his other job.
A friend of Francois’ told us, “After becoming an MP, Mark let it be known he was available for other work – much like all the other MPs do these days – but there were disappointingly very few takers. Well, no takers, to be specific.
“Except for Tesco, who were looking for additional staff on Saturdays. And they didn’t so much approach him, as advertise in the local paper – but Mark saw it and responded. He thought it might be a good stepping stone to a possible non-exec role on their board, but I suppose we’re not quite there yet.
“It’s not all bad though. On the plus side, they no longer make him collect trolleys in the rain. So, that’s progress, right?”
Meanwhile, Francois himself said that although he is happy to attend parliament on the 19th, he will be disappointed to miss the staff night out that has been arranged for the same evening.
He told us, “It’s such a shame, there hasn’t been a single staff night out the whole time I’ve been there, and then one gets arranged on the only night I definitely can’t make.
“I have such rotten luck.”
