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| Three peers 'offered to lobby for fake firm' | Three peers 'offered to lobby for fake firm' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Three peers have been accused of agreeing to carry out Parliamentary work for payment. | Three peers have been accused of agreeing to carry out Parliamentary work for payment. |
| Undercover Sunday Times reporters filmed the men appearing to offer to help a fake solar energy company. | Undercover Sunday Times reporters filmed the men appearing to offer to help a fake solar energy company. |
| Ulster Unionist Lord Laird, and Labour's Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate and Lord Cunningham, deny wrongdoing. | Ulster Unionist Lord Laird, and Labour's Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate and Lord Cunningham, deny wrongdoing. |
| The two Labour peers have been suspended from the party and Lord Laird has resigned the party whip pending an investigation. | The two Labour peers have been suspended from the party and Lord Laird has resigned the party whip pending an investigation. |
| In a separate investigation by the BBC's Panorama programme in conjunction with the Daily Telegraph, Lord Laird was secretly filmed discussing a retainer to ask parliamentary questions. | In a separate investigation by the BBC's Panorama programme in conjunction with the Daily Telegraph, Lord Laird was secretly filmed discussing a retainer to ask parliamentary questions. |
| The fresh allegations over political lobbying come after MP Patrick Mercer resigned the Tory whip on Friday amid claims he broke lobbying rules. | The fresh allegations over political lobbying come after MP Patrick Mercer resigned the Tory whip on Friday amid claims he broke lobbying rules. |
| The House of Lords code of conduct says peers cannot engage in "paid advocacy" - using their access to Parliament to make a profit. | The House of Lords code of conduct says peers cannot engage in "paid advocacy" - using their access to Parliament to make a profit. |
| The Sunday Times suggests the three peers, who it filmed separately, may have broken those rules. | The Sunday Times suggests the three peers, who it filmed separately, may have broken those rules. |
| 'Complex' rules | 'Complex' rules |
| The first, Lord Cunningham - a minister under Tony Blair - offered to write to Prime Minister David Cameron to push the solar energy company's supposed agenda. | The first, Lord Cunningham - a minister under Tony Blair - offered to write to Prime Minister David Cameron to push the solar energy company's supposed agenda. |
| He also offered to ask parliamentary questions and was offered a monthly payment of £10,000 but said he could do a deal for £12,000 a month. | He also offered to ask parliamentary questions and was offered a monthly payment of £10,000 but said he could do a deal for £12,000 a month. |
| He told undercover reporters he offered "value for money" because he could introduce them to senior members of all three of the main political parties. | He told undercover reporters he offered "value for money" because he could introduce them to senior members of all three of the main political parties. |
| In a statement sent to the Sunday Times, Lord Cunningham denied breaking any rules. | In a statement sent to the Sunday Times, Lord Cunningham denied breaking any rules. |
| He said: "I deny any agreement to operate in breach of the House of Lords code of conduct and, in fact, recall that I made it clear that I would only operate within the rules." | He said: "I deny any agreement to operate in breach of the House of Lords code of conduct and, in fact, recall that I made it clear that I would only operate within the rules." |
| He said his reference to "a fanciful £12,000 a month payment" was made to test his suspicion that he had been talking to journalists. | He said his reference to "a fanciful £12,000 a month payment" was made to test his suspicion that he had been talking to journalists. |
| Lord (Brian) Mackenzie, a former chief superintendent for Durham police and president of the Police Superintendents Association, said he could arrange parties for paying clients - including on the terrace of the House of Lords - after being asked if this was possible. | Lord (Brian) Mackenzie, a former chief superintendent for Durham police and president of the Police Superintendents Association, said he could arrange parties for paying clients - including on the terrace of the House of Lords - after being asked if this was possible. |
| "I just say to a colleague who has nothing to do with it, 'would you host a function for me?'" he said. | "I just say to a colleague who has nothing to do with it, 'would you host a function for me?'" he said. |
| But Lord Mackenzie told the BBC he was "quite happy" that he had not broken the rules. | But Lord Mackenzie told the BBC he was "quite happy" that he had not broken the rules. |
| He said: "I was being interviewed for a position as a consultant by a company producing solar panels which I thought was interesting… if you get involved with an outside interest like that, and many members of the House of Lords are, then of course that doesn't prohibit you from asking questions and raising that sort of issue providing of course, it's properly declared and properly registered as an interest." | He said: "I was being interviewed for a position as a consultant by a company producing solar panels which I thought was interesting… if you get involved with an outside interest like that, and many members of the House of Lords are, then of course that doesn't prohibit you from asking questions and raising that sort of issue providing of course, it's properly declared and properly registered as an interest." |
| He said the undercover reporters may well have offered him "so many thousands a month", but that a figure was not agreed on. | He said the undercover reporters may well have offered him "so many thousands a month", but that a figure was not agreed on. |
| "In the event when I went back to my office I checked the codes of conduct and I decided that it was getting a bit near the mark and I decided to decline the offer," he said. | "In the event when I went back to my office I checked the codes of conduct and I decided that it was getting a bit near the mark and I decided to decline the offer," he said. |
| He added: "Many peers have consultancies and of course they are all registered… some people of course because specialists in certain areas and that brings expertise into the House of Lords. And it would be nonsense if they were prohibited from speaking on such issues and raising questions on such issues - providing of course these things are declared. | He added: "Many peers have consultancies and of course they are all registered… some people of course because specialists in certain areas and that brings expertise into the House of Lords. And it would be nonsense if they were prohibited from speaking on such issues and raising questions on such issues - providing of course these things are declared. |
| "What you can't do is obviously ask questions for money on behalf of third parties and that's where the lobbying rule comes in and I understand that." | "What you can't do is obviously ask questions for money on behalf of third parties and that's where the lobbying rule comes in and I understand that." |
| 'Subject of a scam' | 'Subject of a scam' |
| The third peer, Lord Laird, said he could arrange to get other peers involved. He explained that, working together, they could ask parliamentary questions for each other's clients, put down amendments in debates or write to ministers. | The third peer, Lord Laird, said he could arrange to get other peers involved. He explained that, working together, they could ask parliamentary questions for each other's clients, put down amendments in debates or write to ministers. |
| "Some of the guys for instance in the Lords ... I will get to put down questions for me ... and then I put down questions for them," he said. | "Some of the guys for instance in the Lords ... I will get to put down questions for me ... and then I put down questions for them," he said. |
| But later, in a statement to the BBC, Lord Laird said he had been "the subject of a scam" by journalists. | But later, in a statement to the BBC, Lord Laird said he had been "the subject of a scam" by journalists. |
| "This has led to allegations that I have broken the rules of the House of Lords," he said. | "This has led to allegations that I have broken the rules of the House of Lords," he said. |
| "I wish to make it clear that I did not agree to act as a paid advocate in any proceedings of the House nor did I accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services." | "I wish to make it clear that I did not agree to act as a paid advocate in any proceedings of the House nor did I accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services." |
| He said that, although he had not broken any rules, he had referred himself "to the appropriate authorities". | He said that, although he had not broken any rules, he had referred himself "to the appropriate authorities". |
| The Ulster Unionist Party has since announced that Lord Laird has resigned the party whip, pending the outcome of an investigation by Westminster authorities. | The Ulster Unionist Party has since announced that Lord Laird has resigned the party whip, pending the outcome of an investigation by Westminster authorities. |
| Mike Nesbitt, head of the Ulster Unionist Party, said: "He was at pains to say that he was absolutely sure he had done nothing wrong". | Mike Nesbitt, head of the Ulster Unionist Party, said: "He was at pains to say that he was absolutely sure he had done nothing wrong". |
| Yet having seen the video, Mr Nesbitt added: "Any sensible, right-minded person watching that video clip would form an opinion and that is not the opinion I would want for the Ulster Unionist Party. | Yet having seen the video, Mr Nesbitt added: "Any sensible, right-minded person watching that video clip would form an opinion and that is not the opinion I would want for the Ulster Unionist Party. |
| "Nobody gets privilege from the Ulster Unionist Party, we expect high standards, we really do." | "Nobody gets privilege from the Ulster Unionist Party, we expect high standards, we really do." |
| The Sunday Times said all three had told their undercover reporters at the time that they would declare any payment in the House of Lords register. | The Sunday Times said all three had told their undercover reporters at the time that they would declare any payment in the House of Lords register. |
| Labour said in a statement released after the peers' suspension: "The Labour Party expects the highest standards of its representatives and believes that they have a duty to be transparent and accountable at all times." | |
| Second investigation | Second investigation |
| In the Panorama and Daily Telegraph investigation, Lord Laird was approached by a fake lobbying company - claiming to represent business interests in Fiji. | In the Panorama and Daily Telegraph investigation, Lord Laird was approached by a fake lobbying company - claiming to represent business interests in Fiji. |
| He was secretly filmed being asked if he would be interested in being paid to work for the company. | He was secretly filmed being asked if he would be interested in being paid to work for the company. |
| He said he would arrange for questions to be raised in Parliament for a retainer of £2,000 a month. | He said he would arrange for questions to be raised in Parliament for a retainer of £2,000 a month. |
| On Saturday, Panorama released footage - secretly filmed as part of the same investigation - of MP Patrick Mercer appearing to offer a Commons security pass to a fake Fijian firm that paid him £4,000 to ask parliamentary questions. He had resigned the Tory whip the previous day. | |
| Panorama will be shown on BBC One at 21:00 BST on Thursday. | Panorama will be shown on BBC One at 21:00 BST on Thursday. |