undercover u.k. journalists entrap two pols in a fake pay to play scheme.


Former foreign secretaries caught in undercover payments sting

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/b7ce6210-bae8-11e4-945d-00144feab7de.html#axzz3SXCOdMYO

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Jim Pickard, Chief Political Correspondent



Malcolm Rifkind (left) and Jack Straw

Two former foreign secretaries, Jack Straw and Sir Malcolm Rifkind, have been caught in an undercover sting offering to help a fictitious Chinese company in return for payments.

Mr Straw, who ran the Foreign Office under Tony Blair, agreed to refer himself to the commissioner for parliamentary standards and suspended himself from the Parliamentary Labour party on Sunday night.

Sir Malcolm, a veteran Tory MP, struck a more defiant note, telling the BBC that he would have made the same comments in a public interview and that he was offering information that was publicly available.


Mr Straw, who met undercover reporters from the Daily Telegraph and Channel 4’s Dispatches at his Westminster offices, told them he had operated “under the radar” to use his influence to change EU rules to help a commodity firm paying him £60,000 a year.

He also claimed to have used “charm and menace” to convince the Ukrainian prime minister to change laws on behalf of the firm, ED&F Man.


The senior Tory MP said he would submit questions to ministers on behalf of a paying client, without revealing their identity.

Sir Malcolm also described himself as “self-employed”, saying he had to “earn my income” — despite his generous salary as an MP.
Sir Malcolm, chair of the intelligence and security committee, told undercover reporters — at fake offices in Mayfair — that he could sort out “useful access” to every British ambassador in the world.


Both politicians had been expected to be given peerages and a place in the House of Lords. John Mann, the Labour MP, said on Sunday night: “Looks clear that neither Jack Straw nor Malcolm Rifkind can now go to the House of Lords. Indeed it looks a lot worse than just that.”

Sir Alistair Graham, former chair of the parliamentary standards watchdog, said the behaviour was “shocking”.

The undercover reporters had approached 12 MPs, asking if they would be interested in joining the advisory board of a Chinese company. Six did not reply while one said his contacts were not “for sale”.

But Sir Malcolm and Mr Straw both agreed to enter discussions with the fictitious Chinese group.


Last year Sir Malcolm registered outside earnings of £69,610, while Mr Straw earned £112,777 for his external business work. Both included payments for articles in the Telegraph.

A spokesman for Mr Straw said: “He has always conducted himself, in whatever capacity, in accordance with the appropriate rules.”

He said there was “nothing inappropriate” in him using the “knowledge and experience” he has acquired as an MP after he stands down in May.

The spokesman added that Mr Straw “has always been full and frank in any work carried out on behalf of ED&F Man” and had declared his role with the firm to Mykola Azarov, a former Ukrainian prime minister, and the European Commission.

Mr Straw said that when he mentioned the £5,000 fee he was giving it as an example and not as part of a negotiation. He told the reporters that his day job as an MP was his “first responsibility”.

Sir Malcolm said he believed the “firm” had sought his help as a former foreign secretary rather than as an MP. He said: “I have never undertaken, nor would I undertake, any lobbying as an MP on behalf of any private organisation from which I was receiving remuneration.”

He insisted that when he said he could write to ministers he was only offering to obtain information that was “already in the public domain”.

The Telegraph looked more widely at the legitimate outside interests of all MPs, totalling more than £7.4m a year. Of these, 30 members earned at least the equivalent of an MP’s annual salary — £67,000 — in outside work every year. They included 12 who were paid more in outside work than the prime minister’s £142,000 salary.

Gordon Brown, the former prime minister, declared additional income of close to £1m, followed by Geoffrey Cox, the Conservative MP and prominent QC, who admitted to earnings of £820,000.


additional news sources.

22 February 2015 Last updated at 21:10 ET


Straw and Rifkind deny 'cash for access' wrongdoing

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-31580374


Jack Straw and Sir Malcolm Rifkind in latest 'cash for access' scandal
Jack Straw reveals he operated 'under the radar' to use his influence to change EU rules, while Sir Malcolm Rifkind boasts about his 'useful' access to diplomats

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/investigations/11411007/Jack-Straw-and-Sir-Malcolm-Rifkind-in-latest-cash-for-access-scandal.html

Jack Straw and Malcolm Rifkind face 'cash for access' allegations

Former foreign secretaries offered to use their political influence on behalf of fictitious Chinese firm set up by Channel 4’s Dispatches

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/feb/22/jack-straw-malcolm-rifkind-cash-for-access-channel-4-dispatches-telegraph