Former Labour leader Ed Miliband has come to the defence of Stalybridge and Hyde MP Jonathan Reynolds after it emerged Labour was offering breakfast meetings with the Business Secretary in return for £30,000.
Energy Secretary Mr Miliband confirmed Mr Reynolds was not aware of the scheme but warned party officials not to do it again.
And the Labour Party has confirmed the meetings will not be going ahead.
Mr Miliband said: “Don’t do it again, is my message.
“The answer is – whether it is me or Jonathan Reynolds – it is not about paying to have access. That is not what we are about, no.”
A Labour spokesperson said: “The business secretary isn’t involved in this, was completely unaware, and isn’t attending.”
Last month Mr Reynolds defended nearly £18,000 in gifts he has received in the last five years.
He was sixth in a list of Greater Manchester MPs who had declared receiving gift, such as tickets to sporting events.
Mr Reynolds declared gifts with a total value of £17,905 since December 2019, which included free tickets for a Sheffield Wednesday match and the FA Cup final as well as a gift from a barrister who paid for his car hire.
A spokesman for Mr Reynolds said: “As the business secretary, and in his previous role as Shadow Business Secretary, Jonathan is frequently asked to attend events in an official capacity to highlight the strength and depth of British industries.
“Each donation is rightly declared in the usual and proper way so that the public can scrutinise these activities.”
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