I never broke rules on lobbying says MP in energy firm sting

Tim Yeo, who heads the Energy and Climate Change Committee, said he “totally rejects” claims made after a sting by a Sunday newspaper.

The Tory MP said he had referred himself to the parliamentary standards commissioner to clear his name.

Reporters approached him posing as representatives of a solar energy company offering to hire him as a paid advocate to push for new laws to boost its business for a fee of £7,000 a day.

He apparently said he could not speak out publicly for the green energy firm they claimed to represent because “people will say he’s saying this because of his commercial interest”.

However, the former Minister reportedly assured them: “What I say to people in private is another matter altogether.”

Footage showed Mr Yeo seemingly suggesting that he had coached a paying client on how to influence the committee.

“I was able to tell him in advance what he should say,” he said.

The former environment Minister excused himself from questions at the committee hearing because of the conflict of interest.

The House of Commons code of conduct forbids members from acting as paid advocates, including by lobbying Ministers.

Mr Yeo, the latest in a line of politicians caught up in lobbying stings, said The Sunday Times had quoted “very selectively” from the clandestine recording.

“I totally reject these allegations,” he said.

“My lawyer requested the whole recording from which these extracts were obtained but this has not been given.

“The whole recording would show the context of the conversation and demonstrate clearly that at no stage did I agree or offer to work for the fictitious company these undercover reporters claimed to be representing.”

He also denied coaching a client.