UK Conservative MP Scott Benton has been suspended by the Tories following a gambling sting operation carried out by reporters from The Times newspaper.
During the newspaper’s investigation, Benton was offered a role in a fake company set up for the purposes of the sting. The reporters, who posed as gambling industry investors, offered Benton the role in return for lobbying in parliament.
Benton can be seen on secretly filmed footage offering to ask questions in parliament, leak official policy documents, and ‘call in favors’ from his colleagues in parliament of behalf of the investors. He also revealed that he had “easy access” to ministers of government should the investors have any questions that needed addressing immediately.
In a statement issued following the sting, Benton said that he had met two people who claimed to represent a “company offering me an expert advisory role.”
“After this meeting, I was asked to forward my CV and some other personal details. I did not do so as I was concerned that what was being asked of me was not within parliamentary rules.”
A spokesperson for Tory Chief Whip Simon Hart told the Times that the MP had the party whip suspended “whilst an investigation is ongoing”.
According to the U.K. parliament’s code of conduct, MPs cannot lobby on any issue in return for payment.
Image credit: UK Parliament / CC BY 3.0
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.
