PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
LABOUR AND JOURNALISTIC ENTRAPMENT (8 July 1998)

That this House notes the furious condemnations by Ministers and Labour honourable Members of Observer journalists' entrapment exercises designed to expose the extent of influence-peddling by Labour activists in the Cash for Access scandal; further notes the contrast with 1994, when Labour honourable Members enthusiastically supported entrapment exercises designed to entice a lobbying company into claiming influence over Conservative Ministers; recalls that 106 Labour honourable Members including 23 who are now Ministers, signed Early Day Motion 1389 urging the broadcast of The Cook Programme, based on secretly filmed and taped material involving Ian Greer Associates, who made far less dramatic claims of power to influence Ministers than Derek Draper, Ben Lucas, Roger Liddle and other Labour apparatchiks; further recalls that the Cook Programme was actively assisted by Guardian journalists, particularly David Hencke, who encouraged the tabling of Early Day Motion 1389 in June 1994 as part of a Guardian campaign against Conservative honourable Members; and urges all those Labour honourable Members who signed Early Day Motion 1389 to be consistent and support a public inquiry into New Labour's Cash for Access scandal.

Sponsored by:
Sir Gerald Howarth (Conservative)