A Tory MP has been secretly filmed offering to lobby ministers on behalf of gambling industry investors in exchange for financial reward in an undercover sting operation.
Scott Benton, MP for Blackpool South, was prepared to leak market sensitive information to an investment fund and ask parliamentary questions on its behalf, in breach of parliamentary lobbying rules, according to an undercover investigation by journalists at The Times.
The MP later had the party whip suspended, a spokesperson for Tory Chief Whip Simon Hart said, pending an investigation into the undercover footage.
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Mr Benton was caught on camera telling undercover reporters posing as investors how he was willing to take actions which would break Parliament’s lobbying rules. Under such rules, MPs are forbidden from advocating a particular matter in the House or raising it with ministers in return for payment.
In a meeting in early March, Mr Benton described how he could support the fund, which he believed was set up by an Indian businessman looking to make investments in the UK betting and gaming sector, by attempting to water down proposed gambling reforms.
It comes as the Government is carrying out a major review of gambling laws, mulling stricter regulations that could affect operators’ profits.
Mr Benton offered a 'guarantee' to provide a copy of an upcoming gambling White Paper to the business at least two days before publication, potentially allowing it to benefit from market sensitive information. He also said he could table parliamentary written questions and said he had previously done it on behalf of a company.
Mr Benton said he could offer 'the direct ear of a minister who is actually going to make these decisions' and speak to them outside the Commons voting lobby. 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.
Mr Benton has hit back at the sting, saying while he did agree to meet the purported company, he had not provided his CV as had been requested during the meeting because he was "concerned that what was being asked of me was not within parliamentary rules".
He said he later "contacted the Commons registrar and the parliamentary standards commissioner who clarified these rules for me and had no further contact with the company".
Labour deputy leader and MP for Ashton-under-Lyne 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.”
It comes after former cabinet ministers Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng drew criticism for offering to advise a bogus South Korean company for up to £10,000 a day in a sting by the campaign group Led By Donkeys last month, although there was no accusation of wrongdoing.
In a statement, Mr 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.”
A spokesperson for Chief Whip Simon Hart said: ”Following his self-referral to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards earlier this evening, Scott Benton has had the Conservative Party Whip suspended whilst an investigation is ongoing.”
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