Hidden camera stings UK MPs

Former Trade and transport Secretary Stephen Byers was allegedly recorded offering himself 'like a sort of cab for hire' for up to £5,000 a day ($A8,280), while offering the use of his friendship with Business Secretary Peter Mandelson, which, he said, had proved useful in the past.

The ruling Labour party has promised a crackdown on lobbying by ex-ministers after some of its MPs were caught in joint Channel 4/Sunday Times sting, just weeks before an election.

Senior Labour MPs were filmed by an undercover reporter apparently offering to use their connections with government in return for money - but the MPs and the companies involved now deny wrongdoing.

In Australia, the Rudd government introduced new regulation surrounding politcal lobbying, and the government maintains a Lobbyists Register.

But in the UK, although there is some regulation, there is less openness. Last year, the British government rejected calls for a public register of lobbying, arguing the lobbying industry should be given the opportunity to self-regulate.

The Labour party responded on Sunday by promising tighter regulation on lobbying activities if Brown's government is re-elected in polls expected on May 6.

"There can never be any suggestion that companies and businesses can only speak to government by buying access through MPs or anybody else," a spokesman said.

But all polls are already putting Brown behind David Cameron's Conservative Party, who has been quick to denounce the affair and call for a probe, mindful of the scandals that cost the Conservatives power in the 1990s.

They also threaten to further undermine the reputation of parliament after the enormous and ongoing scandal over MPs' expenses last year.

"Just as the government has ended the old discredited system of self-regulation in MPs' expenses, we need to act now to stop self-regulation of lobbyists and give the public greater confidence in the whole system," the Labour spokesman said.

In a statement, Former Transport Secretary Byers said he had exaggerated his influence to
the undercover reporter and had subsequently retracted his claims, adding that he had "never lobbied ministers on behalf of commercial
interests".