Tory MP: I deeply regret MY FAILURE

Anger over secret £70K Shell shares

- NICK SOMMERLAD

THERESA Villiers has been accused of trying to avoid transparency over her secret financial links to Shell amid a global climate crisis.

The Tory delivered a grovelling apology for not declaring she had at least £70,000 worth of shares in the oil giant while she was Environment Secretary.

But campaigners the Good Law Project warn a minister getting into bed with greedy fossil fuel firms raises serious doubts over her party's commitments to fighting climate change.

Ms Villiers only last month updated her register of MPs' interests to reveal that she had owned large holdings in a series of firms for up to five years.

Her spokesman insisted: "Ms Villiers deeply regrets her failure to monitor the value of shareholdings and has offered her sincere apologies.

But the Good Law Project's Ellie Mae O'Hagan said: "This is not just another example of Tories ducking transparency.