A Tory representative, Scott Benton, has been temporarily removed from his duties following allegations of advocating for a fictitious gambling enterprise.
Benton, who represents Blackpool South in the House of Commons, was secretly recorded by undercover journalists from The Times discussing a possible advisory position with a fabricated firm. The encounter was captured on camera without Benton’s knowledge.
While Benton declined the fabricated role and did not violate any regulations, the footage released by the newspaper reveals him explaining how to submit inquiries to Parliament. The UK Parliament’s ethical guidelines prohibit lawmakers from accepting payment for lobbying efforts.
The Times also reported that Benton claimed he could provide a copy of the gambling reform document 48 hours before its official release, giving the fictitious company an edge over its competitors.
Benton admitted to the Parliamentary Standards body regarding the incident, and the Conservative party removed his voting privileges on the evening of April 5th.
“In the past month, I was contacted by a company that purported to offer me an expert consulting position,” Benton stated in a communication to the BBC.
I encountered a couple of individuals who claimed to represent the firm to gather more details about the position.
Following the discussion, they requested my resume and personal data. I declined, as I believed it violated parliamentary regulations.
I reached out to the Parliament registrar and the commissioner responsible for parliamentary standards. They clarified the rules for me, and I refrained from contacting the company further. This occurred before I discovered that the company was nonexistent and the individuals claiming to be affiliated with it were actually reporters.
A representative for the Conservative Chief Whip, Simon Hart, stated: “Following Scott Benton’s self-reporting to the Commissioner for Parliamentary Standards earlier today, the Conservative Whip has been temporarily removed from their position pending an investigation.”