Suspended Lancs MP Scott Benton's five gifts from gambling industry revealed after involvement in lobbying 'sting'

A Lancashire MP who has been suspended after a lobbying 'sting' received five gifts from companies linked to the gambling industry including tickets to watch two England football games, the Brits and Wimbledon it has been revealed.

Blackpool South MP Scott Benton has had the whip suspended by the Conservative Party after he referred himself to parliament's standards watchdog. It came after an undercover sting by The Times, who posed as gambling industry investors looking for parliamentary influence.

In a meeting with the undercover reporters, it is alleged Mr Benton - who is also the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Betting and Gaming - was prepared to leak market-sensitive information to the investment fund and ask parliamentary questions on its behalf, in direct breach of parliamentary lobbying rules.

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The Times also claims Mr Benton was ready to leak a government white paper at least 48 hours before it went public. MPs are also prohibited from serving as a paid parliamentary adviser or consultant or guiding firms on ways to influence Parliament.

In a meeting in early March, Mr Benton described how he could support the fund, which he believed was set up by an Indian businessman looking to make investments in the UK betting and gaming sector, by attempting to water down proposed gambling reforms.

Lancs Live report that Mr Benton has vehemently denied the claims put against him saying while he did agree to meet the purported company, he had not provided his CV as had been requested during the meeting because he was "concerned that what was being asked of me was not within