Top Tories in Chinese 'cash for Brexit' furore: Three ex-Cabinet Ministers targeted by 'Miss Liu' in Mayfair consultancy sting

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Those allegedly targeted were ex-Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell (pictured), and ex-Trade Secretary Peter Lilley. All three last night denied wrongdoing

A political storm erupted last night over claims that three former Cabinet Ministers secretly tried to earn thousands of pounds in a 'cash for Brexit' scandal.

The senior politicians were lured to a luxury Mayfair office where they were secretly filmed discussing being paid for telling Chinese tycoons how to make money out of Britain leaving the European Union.

Those targeted were ex-Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell, and ex-Trade Secretary Peter Lilley. All three last night denied wrongdoing.

Lord Lansley, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, said he had referred himself to the parliamentary anti-sleaze watchdog, and expected his name to be cleared.

Mr Lilley said: 'It was a tawdry attempt at entrapment and I did nothing improper whatsoever. I thought it might be a sting from the beginning.

Pictured: Former Health Secretary Lord Andrew Lansley (left) and ex-Trade Secretary Peter Lilley (right) 

'They said they had a budget of £18,000 but I told them I was already on the advisory board of a Chinese company, that I was comfortably off and I did not pursue the matter.'

Mr Mitchell claimed he was 'totally innocent' and had been the victim of 'attempted entrapment'.

He revealed he launched his own investigation after suspecting the approach was bogus, fearing Parliament was being targeted by Chinese or Russian agents.

Mr Mitchell said he was aided by the 'British authorities', but refused to confirm or deny whether he was referring to MI5.

The latest Westminster sleaze claims follow a three-month investigation by Channel 4's Dispatches programme. 

Producers say their exposé would show 'how former Cabinet Ministers are offering themselves to private companies as Brexit advisers'.

The trio were lured to Mayfair where they were greeted by a Chinese woman. She gave her name as Fei Liu and claimed to represent Chinese millionaires.

They were offered a 'highly attractive remuneration package' and an all-expenses-paid trip to Hong Kong in return for attending four London meetings a year. 

The money was to 'help navigate the shifting political, regulatory and legislative frameworks in the UK and across Europe after Brexit', they were told.

For their 'sting', Channel 4 invited the politicians to an office in the exclusive area of St James's in October to meet Miss Liu, who claimed to be managing director of Tianfen Consulting – but was in fact an undercover reporter.

The senior politicians were lured to a luxury Mayfair office (pictured) where they were secretly filmed discussing being paid for telling Chinese tycoons how to make money out of Britain leaving the European Union

She told each of the politicians their experience would make them an 'ideal candidate to join the international advisory board of Tianfen Consulting' – allegedly a 'boutique strategic communications firm' which advised 'high net worth individuals' in Hong Kong and China.

Mr Mitchell described how Miss Liu told him that she wanted to use his knowledge to make money out of Brexit. However, Channel 4 and Mr Mitchell disagree over what happened.

Both agree he said he charged £6,000 a day to do non-political work; would consider doing 'five or six' days work a year for Tianfen, but would do no lobbying because it was against Commons rules. Mr Mitchell also said he would consult parliamentary chiefs before doing any work for Tianfen.

Channel 4 say Mr Mitchell's response showed the 'willingness of MPs and ex-Ministers to enter into consultancy agreements with private clients to boost their incomes against the backdrop of Brexit' – and claim that was 'in conflict with his public duties as an MP'.

It is also claimed that Mr Mitchell said he would be available 'at any time' to Tianfen, including Christmas, but had failed to offer the same 'instant service' to a voter in his Sutton Coldfield constituency. 

They were offered a 'highly attractive remuneration package' and an all-expenses-paid trip to Hong Kong (pictured) in return for attending four London meetings a year

They said the voter had been forced to wait three weeks for a ten-minute meeting over the business climate.

However, the MP has offered a very different version of events. He said he realised within minutes of his meeting with Miss Liu that her approach was bogus.

The MP told The Mail on Sunday that he feared it may have been an attempt by Chinese or Russian intelligence, or another 'sinister organisation', to target Parliament.

Former banker Mr Mitchell, who has business experience in Hong Kong, got a friend in the former British colony to visit the address of Tianfen Consulting provided by Miss Liu.

In writing: The letter inviting Andrew Mitchell to join Tianfen's advisory board 

He also sought the help of 'British authorities' – believed to be MI5 – who later told him they had confirmed he had been targeted by a bogus organisation. But since it was not a foreign power nor a threat to British security, they could not help him further.

Two months after the initial approach, Mr Mitchell received another email from Miss Liu, informing him that the Tianfen offer had been dropped.

He fired off an angry reply, accusing her of 'a flagrant and dishonest attempt to entrap an MP' and threatened to call police.

He also made a formal protest to China's ambassador in London, Liu Xiaoming, who said he shared Mr Mitchell's concern about the 'ill intended move of Tianfen Consulting' and hoped it would not undermine Anglo-Chinese relations.

Mr Mitchell, who resigned from the Cabinet in 2012 over claims that he called a Downing Street policeman a 'pleb', said last night: 

'I have done absolutely nothing wrong and behaved with total propriety. The allegations against me are a total distortion. MPs are allowed to have second jobs and my constituents always come first.'

He was backed by Sutton Coldfield Conservative chairman Ewan Mackey, who said: 'We think it is a good thing that Andrew has had a foot in the business community when he has not been a Minister. He is a highly respected and effective MP.'

Meanwhile, a friend of Lord Lansley's said that the peer had been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer at the time of the sting.

His spokesman said: 'Lord Lansley made clear at all times that any work he carries out has to comply with the House of Lords Code of Conduct. 

'He has always kept his outside interests separate from his parliamentary duties and at no time did he offer any privileged access, insider information, lobbying activity, parliamentary advice or services.'

However, Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, told Channel 4 the investigation showed MPs were abusing rules which allow them to have second jobs.

Most voters did 'not want their MPs taking on second jobs – they want them to concentrate on the public interest,' said Sir Alistair.

Mitchell: I smelled a rat... and MI5 agreed

By ANDREW MITCHELL, FORMER CABINET MINISTER

It was clear to me within minutes of arriving at the meeting in St James's in Mayfair on October 25 that I was the target of a 'sting'.

A couple of weeks earlier, I received an email from a woman calling herself Fei Liu purporting to represent Chinese investors via a Hong Kong-based consultancy, seeking advice from those with experience of the financial services sector.

Like many other politicians, in addition to my work as a backbench MP I have a few outside interests. I am paid for some, but not all.

There are some who argue that MPs should do no outside work at all. 

I believe that would result in a Commons with less knowledge of the real world. As it happens, my local Conservative Association shares that view.

On the face of it, the approach from Fei on behalf of Tianfen Consulting was plausible. I have business experience in Hong Kong. But something didn't ring true.

Shortly after our meeting, I surmised that it was a stunt because, when I was asked how much I expected per day and I told them how much, I was told they would pay far more.

My suspicions were confirmed: no business offers to pay more than someone asks for.

That wasn't the only reason I smelled a rat. When I said I could not do more than five or six days work for them because of my constituency work, they pressed me to do more. When they asked me to lobby for them I said I would do no such thing – or anything without consulting the Commons authorities.

Fei claimed to represent a company run by her grandfather and suggested I met him when he visited London in December. I went along with it, but only to get to the bottom of what was going on. 

Of course, the grandfather never came, because, like the fake company, he didn't exist.

With all the talk of state meddling in Britain by Russia and possibly China and others with ill intent, I resolved to launch my own investigation.

I got a friend in Hong Kong to visit the address given to me for Tianfen Consulting. My friend's verdict was: 'Decidedly dodgy.'

I contacted someone I know in what I will call 'the British authorities' and said I was worried I was the target of an attempted entrapment. 

They eventually came back to me and said I was right, but it was not a foreign power so they had no further interest.

On December 5, I complained to the Chinese ambassador in London, Liu Xiaoming. He condemned the 'ill-intended Tianfen Consultancy'. 

By then, surprise, surprise, Fei had emailed me saying she did not wish to pursue the matter further. I told her a 'flagrant and dishonest' attempt had been made to entrap me and if it happened again I would inform police.

Last week I learned for certain it was indeed a media stunt. The media is entitled to investigate MPs. But not mislead.

In Fei's initial approach to me, there was a fleeting reference to Brexit. Now I see why.

Channel 4 tell me they will not broadcast secret film of my meeting at St James's with Fei. With good reason: if they did it would be clear I acted properly throughout. 

Much better to use a few carefully chosen quotes from the meeting to smear me.

With similar artfulness, I am accused of failing to respond to a constituent who sought my advice at Christmas.

In fact, the individual contacted my office on Friday, December 22. 

I had given my staff the day off for Christmas shopping while I visited a local hospital, Post Office, police and fire station to thank them for all their hard work.

I doubt that will be shown on TV.