The Tories have suspended MP Scott Benton pending an investigation into undercover footage of him offering to lobby ministers on behalf of gambling investors in exchange for money.
He was removed as party whip after a Times investigation revealed he was willing to leak sensitive market information to a bogus investment fund and ask parliamentary questions on its behalf, in violation of parliamentary rules.
Mr Benton was filmed telling undercover reporters posing as investors how he was prepared to take action that would break Parliament’s lobbying rules.
Under these rules, MPs are prohibited from defending a particular issue in the House or raising it with ministers in return for payment.
They are also prohibited from serving as paid parliamentary advisers or consultants or from advising companies on how to influence parliament.
The Tories have suspended Blackpool South MP Scott Benton (pictured) pending an investigation into undercover footage of him offering to lobby ministers on behalf of gambling investors in exchange for money ‘money
He was removed as party whip after a Times investigation (pictured speaking to undercover reporters) revealed he was prepared to leak sensitive market information to a fake investment fund and asking parliamentary questions on his behalf, in violation of parliamentary rules.
Mr Benton was filmed telling undercover reporters posing as investors how he was prepared to take action that would break Parliament’s lobbying rules.
Under these rules, MPs are prohibited from defending a particular issue in the House or raising it with ministers in return for payment.
At a meeting in early March, Mr Benton described how he could support the fund, which he said had been set up by an Indian businessman seeking to invest in the UK betting and gaming sector, by trying to water down the proposed gambling reforms.
Mr Benton offered a “guarantee” to provide a copy of an upcoming gambling white paper to the company at least two days before its release, potentially allowing it to benefit from sensitive market information.
He also said he could table written parliamentary questions and had done so before on behalf of another company.
Mr Benton said he could offer ‘the direct ear of a minister who is actually going to make these decisions’ and talk to them outside the Commons voting hall.
The MP accepted a fee offered by journalists of around £2,000 to £4,000 a month for two days’ work.
A spokesman for Tory chief whip Simon Hart said that following his self-reference to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Mr Benton ‘has had the Conservative party whip suspended while an investigation is ongoing’ .
Rishi Sunak, who took office last year promising ‘integrity’ within the party, had come under pressure to remove the Blackpool South MP’s whip.
Labor said the PM’s failure to act before Mr Benton referred him to the commissioner showed his ‘weakness’.
It comes as the government carries out a major overhaul of gambling laws, drawing up tougher regulations that could affect operators’ profits.
Following the whip’s suspension, meaning Mr Benton no longer sits in the Commons as a Tory, a Labor spokesman said: ‘Once again we see the weakness of Rishi Sunak.’
Instead of acting right away, he waited for Scott Benton to report to the commissioner. Rishi Sunak’s lack of a warrant means he is too nervous to act against his own troops. No wonder Tory MPs think they can get away with murder blue.
The party’s shadow leader in the House of Commons, Thangam Debbonaire, said Mr Sunak ‘must rein in this new wave of Tory bastards and take immediate action to stop this disgraceful money-for-questions scandal from getting worse’ .
At a meeting in early March, Mr Benton described how he could support the fund, which he said had been set up by an Indian businessman seeking to invest in the UK betting and gaming sector, by trying to water down the proposed gambling reforms.
Mr Benton offered a “guarantee” to provide a copy of an upcoming gambling white paper to the company at least two days before publication, potentially allowing it to benefit from sensitive market information.
Mr Benton said he could offer ‘the direct ear of a minister who is actually going to make these decisions’ and talk to them outside the Commons voting hall.
MPs are also banned from serving as paid parliamentary advisers or consultants or advising companies on how to influence Parliament (Mr Benton is pictured in June last year)
Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “These shocking revelations are yet another damning indictment of the state of the Conservative Party. The British public has had enough of Conservative foolishness.
It comes after former ministers Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng were slammed for offering to advise a fake South Korean firm for up to £10,000 a day in a sting by campaign group Led By Donkeys last month, although there were no accusations of wrongdoing.
Tory MP Bob Seely told TalkTV: ‘I hate how these wealthy and powerful interests meddle with MPs and we shouldn’t.’
“I try to be very careful about that stuff. I would like my colleagues to do it too”.
In a statement, Mr Benton said: ‘Last month I was approached by a purported firm who offered me an expert advisory role. I met two people claiming to represent the company to find out what that role was.
‘After this meeting, I was asked to submit my CV and some other personal information. I did not because I feared that what I was being asked did not respect parliamentary rules.
“I contacted the Commons Registrar and the Commissioner for Parliamentary Standards who clarified these rules to me and have had no further contact with the company. I did this before being informed that the company did not exist and that the people claiming to represent it were journalists.
Downing Street said it was primarily Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg, and that whipping matters were a matter for the Whips Office.
Mr. Greenberg’s office has been contacted.