A spokesperson for chief whip Simon Hart said: "Following his self-referral to the parliamentary commissioner for standards earlier this evening, Scott Benton has had the Conservative Party whip suspended whilst an investigation is ongoing."
The decision comes just hours after Rishi Sunak, who entered office last year promising "integrity" within the party, faced calls to strip the Blackpool South MP of the Conservative whip in light of the revelations.
Mr Benton was caught on camera telling undercover reporters posing as investors how he was willing to take actions which would break parliament's lobbying rules. They 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.
Denne historien er fra April 06, 2023-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 06, 2023-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Why Lawson got Red Bull seat over unlucky Tsunoda
Surely Yuki Tsunoda believed this would be his time for the highly coveted promotion.
Sad tale of an entertainer turned middling curiosity
Jack Grealish has sacrificed flair for silverware at City but as he returns home to Villa Park, he'll wonder if it was worth it
Spurs survive 'self-inflicted' collapse to reach cup semis
As Son Heung-min wheeled away and the Tottenham fans in the South Stand bounced their way into the Carabao Cup semifinals, it was fitting in this bonkers, breathless tie that the winning goal against Manchester United would come straight from a corner kick.
A rocky road ahead but we are not quite in stagflation
Should “stagflation” be our word of the day? It’s the term used by the parents of proto-central bankers to scare them into eating their broccoli. It applies when you have slow or no economic growth, high inflation and high interest rates.
Australia's coal expansion a 'death sentence' for islands
Australia’s decision to expand four coal mines has been slammed by island nations as a death sentence” and a betrayal of global climate commitments.
Healthcare killing suspect receives fan mail and cash
Luigi Mangione, the suspect at the centre of the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting, has received more than 100 pieces of mail just over a week after he was taken into custody, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections confirmed to The Independent.
Russia is 'ready to negotiate and compromise', Putin says
A rare 13th-century Bible will return to its ancestral home in Salisbury Cathedral more than 700 years after it was written, thanks to the help of The Independent.
Mum relives horror of her teenage son's fatal stabbing
The grieving mother of a teenage boy has described the harrowing moment her son died in her arms after a brutal knife attack near their home in Bristol.
Independent helps raise £90,000 to return medieval Bible to Salisbury Cathedral
A rare 13th-century Bible will return to its ancestral home in Salisbury Cathedral more than 700 years after it was written, thanks to the help of The Independent.
Avanti managers turn down £250 offer for working day off as new year strike looms
Train managers at Avanti West Coast have turned down an offer worth £250 for working on a day off – or £300 at weekends.
