British ruling party hit by lobbying claims as vote looms
Posted: 22 March 2010 0825 hrs

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LONDON: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour Party was at the centre of lobbying allegations Sunday just weeks before an election, after some of its lawmakers were caught in an undercover sting.

Senior Labour members of parliament (MPs) were filmed apparently offering to use their connections with government in return for money - although they all subsequently denied wrongdoing.

They included former cabinet minister Stephen Byers, who boasted he was a "cab for hire" and asked for up to 5,000 pounds (US$7,500) a day for his services.

He has subsequently denied having lobbied ministers on behalf of businesses.

The Labour Party responded by promising tighter regulation on lobbying activities if Brown's government is re-elected in the vote expected on May 6.

But just a few weeks from what is set to be a close ballot and with the public still angered over revelations that lawmakers abused the parliamentary expenses system, the main opposition Conservatives went on the attack.

"These are shocking allegations. I have been warning for some time that lobbying would be the next scandal to hit politics," said party leader David Cameron.

"First of all the House of Commons (lower house of parliament) needs to conduct a thorough investigation into these (former) Labour ministers," he demanded.

The news drew condemnation from the highest ranks of the Labour Party, with Foreign Secretary David Miliband saying he was "appalled".

"There is absolutely no room for the sort of innuendo or promises that seem to have been floated in this case," he said.

The ruling party vowed a crackdown on lobbying.

"There can never be any suggestion that companies and businesses can only speak to government by buying access through MPs or anybody else," a spokesman said.

The revelations, which involved MPs who are set to stand down at the general election, are potentially highly damaging to Brown ahead of the vote.

"Just as the government has ended the old discredited system of self-regulation in MPs' expenses, we need to act now to stop self-regulation of lobbyists and give the public greater confidence in the whole system," the Labour spokesman said.

Byers, one of those filmed in The Sunday Times newspaper and Channel Four television sting, boasted about how he had changed policy through lobbying his former colleagues.

He suggested to an undercover reporter at one point that he would be able to use his friendship with Business Secretary Peter Mandelson to help his clients' interests.

In a statement, Byers said he had exaggerated his influence to the journalist and had subsequently retracted his claims, adding that he had "never lobbied ministers on behalf of commercial interests".

- AFP/sc