The MP said he could table parliamentary questions, leak a confidential policy paper and lobby ministers on behalf of gambling investors for up to £4,000 a month.
Yet another Tory MP has been caught up in allegations of sleaze, after being filmed offering to lobby for gambling industry investors, following a newspaper sting operation.
Scott Benton was filmed telling undercover reporters from the Times, who posed on behalf of a fake investment fund, that he could table parliamentary questions, leak a confidential policy paper and lobby ministers on behalf of gambling investors for up to £4,000 a month.
The UK Parliament’s code of conduct prohibits MPs from lobbying in return for payment.
The code of conduct says MPs may not speak in the House of Commons and make approaches to ministers in return for payment.
Asked what he could offer the fake company instead of a PR or lobbying firm, Benton said: “There’s probably 10 different PR firms I know who are trying to get meetings with the minister … The beauty of politicians, if you like, are we vote in the House of Commons two or three times a day, and we’ll be voting later.
“You will literally stand at the beginning at the entrance to the voting lobby. And if you wait there for five minutes, the minister has to pass you. And then you’ve got 10 minutes while you walk around to the next vote to have his ear.”
The MP agreed with a fee proposed by the reporters in the range of £2,000 to £4,000 a month for two days’ work.
Although Benton did not pursue the role and no rules appear to have been broken, he has had the whip removed after referring himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
A spokesperson for Chief Whip Simon Hart said: “Following his self-referral to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards earlier this evening [Wednesday], Scott Benton has had the Conservative Party Whip suspended whilst an investigation is ongoing.”
In a statement, Benton said: “Last month I was approached by a purported company offering me an expert advisory role.
“I met with two individuals claiming to represent the company to find out what this role entailed. After this meeting, I was asked to forward my CV and some other personal details. I did not do so as I was concerned that what was being asked of me was not within parliamentary rules.
“I contacted the Commons registrar and the parliamentary standards commissioner who clarified these rules for me and had no further contact with the company. I did this before being made aware that the company did not exist and the individuals claiming to represent it were journalists.”
Labour’s Angela Rayner tweeted: “That smell? The rotten stench of Tory sleaze. 🫖#CashForQuestions
“Yet another Conservative MP looking to line his own pockets while Sunak does nothing.
“This PM is failing to deliver the integrity he promised. Only Labour will clean up politics.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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