Gambling companies and lobbyists have increased the amount they spend on MPs tenfold in five years, according to Guardian analysis that shows how the industry has become one of the best connected sectors in Westminster.
Data from publicly available parliamentary records show that dozens of Labour and Conservative MPs have received thousands of pounds’ worth of corporate hospitality in the past few years, paid for by some of the country’s biggest betting companies.
The analysis, which follows reports that the Conservative MP Scott Benton offered to lobby ministers on behalf of the industry for money, shows that the sector now spends tens of thousands of pounds a year, mainly on sports tickets for MPs.
