By Anika Bourley Parliamentary Correspondent

Last updated at 15:47, Friday, 09 December 2011

Rory Stewart has distanced himself from the row over lobbying in Parliament.

Rory Stewart, Penrith and the Border MP

The Penrith and the Border MP was this week mentioned as one of the influential figures linked to a lobbying firm.

Executives from lobbying company Bell Pottinger were secretly taped claiming to be able to directly influence Prime Minister David Cameron and other senior Government figures.

Its managing director, former Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Collins, told the reporters from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism he knew Mr Stewart – despite only meeting him briefly once.

Mr Collins was taped saying: “Rory Stewart is a very high-profile member of Parliament because he has got a very strong interest in Central Asian issues. He represents the constituency next to mine when I was a MP, so I know him.”

But Mr Stewart responded: “Tim Collins left Parliament in 2005 and I wasn’t elected until 2010. We never served in Parliament together and so we were never neighbouring MPs. In fact, I’ve only ever met him once, very briefly.

“I’m in favour of a register for lobbyists.”

First published at 14:07, Friday, 09 December 2011
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk