The Tories have been accused of at "behind closed doors stitch-up" after a senior Conservative MP held a string of secretive ‘briefing dinners’ on the Northern Ireland Brexit row.
Sir Bernard Jenkin, who sat on the board of the Vote Leave campaign held nine private dinners, funded by Tory donors and held between late January and early March - some on consecutive nights.
But the backbencher, who chairs Parliament's Liaison Committee, has refused to say who attended the behind-closed-doors sessions.
Three dinners were held in 'private residences', with the remainder held in Parliament.
And the almost £5,900 bill for food and wine at the soirées was picked up by a pair of donors, according to Parliament records.
Approached about the events, Mr Jenkin refused to say who attended the dinners because it would breach their confidentiality.
He said: "These briefings were about the problems arising from Northern Ireland Protocol."
The Protocol is the temporary mechanism designed to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
The 310-mile frontier is the UK's only land border with the EU - and presented a seemingly impossible obstacle for Brexiteers.
Naomi Smith, CEO of Best for Britain, said: "Businesses and consumers in Northern Ireland have been doing everything they can to make the Protocol work while some Parliamentarians in London are plotting over private dinners, and the lack of transparency surrounding these secretive “briefings” suggests a Government stitch up behind closed doors.
“A better use of their cronies’ cash would be to take a trip to Belfast to see for themselves the situation on the ground.”
Jon Moynihan, a Brexiteer who also sat on Vote Leave's board, paid £3,226 towards the events, according to Sir Bernard's register of interests.
