Tory MP Steve Brine reported to parliamentary standards commissioner over lobbying claims

a { color: #880000 !important; background: #ffeeee !important; } Tory MP Steve Brine reported to parliamentary standards commissioner over lobbying claimsUK > PoliticsSteve Brine, a senior Conservative MP and chairman of the Commons health committee, has been reported to the parliamentary standards commissioner over claims he lobbied the head of the NHS for a firm which was paying him £1,600 per month. The leaked messages from 2021 show he had been "trying for months" to contact health bosses on behalf of Remedium Partners, where he was a paid adviser. MPs are banned from lobbying the government on behalf of an organisation they have received a "reward" from for six months after any payment.

What's happened

Steve Brine has been reported to the parliamentary standards commissioner over claims he lobbied the head of the NHS for a firm which was paying him £1,600 per month.

Why it matters

The case will go to a committee of MPs to decide if he should be sanctioned. The story highlights the issue of MPs lobbying for companies they have received payment from and the potential conflict of interest that arises. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of the rules governing lobbying by MPs.

What the papers say

The Independent characterises the story as a call for Steve Brine to step down as chairman of the Commons health committee. The Guardian highlights the fact that MPs are banned from lobbying the government on behalf of an organisation they have received a "reward" from for six months after any payment. BBC News reports that opposition parties are calling for Steve Brine to be investigated over the claims. Politics.co.uk reports that Labour has called for a "speedy investigation" into the claims.

How we got here

Steve Brine had been a paid adviser for Remedium Partners since July 2020. The leaked messages from 2021 show he had been "trying for months" to contact health bosses on behalf of the company.