Rifkind to step down as MP over ‘cash for access’ claims

Mr Rifkind’s decision to step down follows an undercover investigation by Channel 4 Dispatches and the Daily Telegraph, which separately filmed him and Jack Straw appearing to offer services for cash.

Mr Rifkind has resigned as chair of the parliamentary intelligence and security committee and will step down as an MP at the general election.

The two former foreign secretaries were swiftly suspended from their parties after the accusations that they were prepared to use their positions to benefit a private company in return for money.

The Conservative party announced that it had has suspended the whip from Sir Malcolm Rifkind, and a party disciplinary committee was set to investigate cash-for-access allegations resulting from the undercover sting operation.

Mr Straw suspended himself from the Labour party to fight to clear his name.

Read more: Duckhouse to doghouse - a short history of MPs' scandals

Both men have referred themselves to the parliamentary commissioner for standards, but both said there was no suggestion that they had been offering to use their influence as MPs.

‘Serious uncertainty’

Mr Rifkind said he had received “tremendous support” from his constituency association since the allegations broke, adding that stepping down was “entirely my personal decision”.

He said a committee set up by the Conservative party to look into the allegations would not have reported until March, leaving his constituency party with “serious uncertainty” and the prospect of choosing a new candidate in very short time.

“I am also aware that even if the committee reach a favourable conclusion as to these allegations, the controversy will remain during what is certain to be a heated general election and, indeed, for many months thereafter until the parliamentary commissioner for standards has completed the necessary enquiry,” he added.

“I had intended to seek one further term as MP for Kensington, before retiring from the House of Commons. I have concluded that to end the uncertainty it would be preferable, instead, to step down at the end of this parliament.

He continued: “As regards the allegations of Channel 4 and the Daily Telegraph I find them contemptible and will not comment further at this time.

“Although I will retire from parliament I shall continue my public and political life and am much looking forward to doing so over the years to come.”

Mr Straw and Sir Malcolm were approached by undercover reporters who claimed to represent a fictional Hong Kong-based communications agency called PMR, which was seeking to hire senior British politicians to its advisory board.

‘Charm and menace’

Mr Straw is reported to have described how he operated “under the radar” to use his influence to change European Union rules on behalf of a commodity firm which paid him £60,000 a year. He was also said to have claimed to have used “charm and menace” to convince the Ukrainian prime minister to change laws on behalf of the same firm.

Sir Malcolm is said to have claimed he could arrange “useful access” to every British ambassador in the world because of his status.

Sir Malcolm told Dispatches: “I have never undertaken nor would undertake any lobbying as an MP on behalf of any private organisation for which I was receiving remuneration. You suggest that I showed myself as ‘willing to act as an MP for hire’. That is untrue.

“There was no suggestion that I was being approached as an MP… Their approach to me was because of my previous experience as a minister… Ambassadors tend to respond not because I am a current MP but because I was foreign secretary.

“I said I would not be prepared to write to ministers on behalf of PMR or any other company…The most I could do would be to inquire from them information… which was already in the public domain.”

Mr Straw, who is standing down at the general election, said in a statement that he made clear from the outset that any discussions he entered into related to what he might do once he left the Commons and not while he was a serving MP.

He said that despite his requests, Dispatches and the Telegraph had not supplied him with a transcript of his conversations with the undercover reporters so he could not identify the context of any of his remarks.