MP in lobbying row condemns 'deliberate fabrication'

Richard Caborn told MPs The Sunday Times misled readers over claims he offered to help commercial clients for fees of thousands of pounds a day.

The former Sports Minister and Adam Ingram, the former Armed Forces Minister, were interviewed by an undercover reporter posing as a company executive wanting to hire MPs for lobbying work.

According to the newspaper, Mr Caborn was said to have expressed an interest in working for the fictitious company but said he would not decide until after the general election. Mr Caborn, who is standing down as the MP for Sheffield Central, hit back at his accusers in the Commons.

He said he had a "proud" record as an MP and declared: "I can tell this House with honesty that my last 31 years as an elected representative, I have never taken a single penny outside the salary that I have earned." As part of a joint investigation with Channel 4's Dispatches programme, Mr Caborn was recorded discussing a number of services he could offer, quoting a rate of 2,500 "plus expenses".

"There's a number of ways in which you can influence or at least access Ministers, whether it's a sector or an individual company, or what. And also on policy as well," he told the undercover reporter.

He also claimed he would be able to get "access to Ministers" and "information" if he received a peerage, according to the newspaper.

The revelations followed the suspension from the Parliamentary Labour Party of three former Ministers over claims they were prepared to take cash to influence Government policy.

Geoff Hoon, Stephen Byers and Patricia Hewitt were filmed by Dispatches discussing the possibility of working for what they thought was an American lobby firm.

Labour backbencher Margaret Moran, who also featured in the programme, was also suspended.

During debate on the Budget in the Commons Mr Caborn said: "This House a few years ago passed the Freedom of Information Act. The press were at the forefront of that and rightly so.

"Now when the press gives misleading evidence through sting operations, evidence that could not be used in court, they believe it is their right to keep that from those that they accuse.

"In my case my lawyers twice requested that information that appeared in The Sunday Times without any response."

He added: "I do not believe that is a level playing field."