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Tim Yeo facing committee coaching claim Tim Yeo facing committee coaching claim
(about 2 hours later)
Conservative MP Tim Yeo is facing allegations that he used his position as chair of the Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee to help a private company influence Parliament.Conservative MP Tim Yeo is facing allegations that he used his position as chair of the Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee to help a private company influence Parliament.
Sunday Times investigators secretly filmed the former environment minister.Sunday Times investigators secretly filmed the former environment minister.
He told them he coached the boss of a firm - owned by a company that was paying the MP - on how to give evidence to the committee, the paper alleges.He told them he coached the boss of a firm - owned by a company that was paying the MP - on how to give evidence to the committee, the paper alleges.
Mr Yeo denies this and says he intends to contest all the allegations.Mr Yeo denies this and says he intends to contest all the allegations.
The BBC understands Mr Yeo has referred himself to the Parliamentary standards commissioner.The BBC understands Mr Yeo has referred himself to the Parliamentary standards commissioner.
"Lobbying - attempting to influence politicians - goes on all the time and is perfectly legitimate," says BBC political correspondent Chris Mason."Lobbying - attempting to influence politicians - goes on all the time and is perfectly legitimate," says BBC political correspondent Chris Mason.
But he adds: "It's when allegations of money getting involved, or apparent conflicts of interest emerge, that it can get awkward."But he adds: "It's when allegations of money getting involved, or apparent conflicts of interest emerge, that it can get awkward."
The Sunday Times is claiming its undercover reporters posed as representatives of a green energy company offering to hire Mr Yeo.The Sunday Times is claiming its undercover reporters posed as representatives of a green energy company offering to hire Mr Yeo.
He appears to tell them - in a conversation the paper videoed - that he had coached a representative of a firm that is a subsidiary of a company he is paid to work for, on what that representative should say when appearing in front of his committee.He appears to tell them - in a conversation the paper videoed - that he had coached a representative of a firm that is a subsidiary of a company he is paid to work for, on what that representative should say when appearing in front of his committee.
Mr Yeo has since said he had not tutored this representative, the managing director of GB Railfreight, about giving evidence.Mr Yeo has since said he had not tutored this representative, the managing director of GB Railfreight, about giving evidence.
There is no suggestion GB Railfreight did anything wrong. It has said in a statement that its managing director made the same arguments the company has made regularly.There is no suggestion GB Railfreight did anything wrong. It has said in a statement that its managing director made the same arguments the company has made regularly.
In the committee hearing, Mr Yeo publicly excused himself from the questioning because of his acknowledged conflict of interest.In the committee hearing, Mr Yeo publicly excused himself from the questioning because of his acknowledged conflict of interest.
In a text message to our correspondent on Saturday evening, Mr Yeo said: "I intend to contest these allegations very vigorously indeed." 'Contesting allegations'
The MP cancelled a number of planned broadcast interviews on Sunday.
But in a text message to our correspondent on Saturday evening, Mr Yeo said: "I intend to contest these allegations very vigorously indeed."
He denied "absolutely" to the Sunday Times that he had breached the MPs' Code of Conduct.He denied "absolutely" to the Sunday Times that he had breached the MPs' Code of Conduct.
He also told the paper's undercover journalists, after they withdrew their offer to work with him, that he was relieved because he'd come to the view that the work was not compatible with his position as an MP and committee chair.He also told the paper's undercover journalists, after they withdrew their offer to work with him, that he was relieved because he'd come to the view that the work was not compatible with his position as an MP and committee chair.
Asked about the issue, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said he could not comment on the allegations but told the Murnaghan programme on Sky News that "if you're obeying the rules, you've got nothing much to fear".