NEWARK MP Patrick Mercer quit the Tory party amid allegations that he tabled parliamentary questions on behalf of a lobbying firm that was paying him thousands of pounds, it was alleged.
Mr Mercer announced that he resigned the whip to "save my party embarrassment", that he would quit the parliament in 2015 - at the general election.
The former shadow minister said he was taking legal advice about the allegations against him after being caught in a sting operation by the Daily Telegraph and the BBC's Panorama programme.
According to details published today, he was recruited by undercover reporters posing as lobbyists representing businesses seeking to end Fiji's suspension from the Commonwealth and signed a £2,000 per month contract.
Fiji was suspended in 2009 over human rights concerns and a lack of democracy.
It is alleged that after being paid £4,000, he tabled five parliamentary questions related to the country that had been drafted by the bogus lobbyists as well as a parliamentary motion.
Parliamentary records show he asked questions in May about Fiji's suspension from the Commonwealth, and UK investment in its public transport.
In March he put down an Early Day Motion - a parliamentary device used to draw attention to issues - saying there was "no justification for Fiji's continued suspension from the Commonwealth".
The newspaper said he was recorded after receiving the first payment saying he would "put a handful" of questions.
He had failed to register his interest, it said, and also established an all-party group on Fiji and agreed to provide a parliamentary pass for a "representative" of the fictional Fijian client.
In a statement Panorama said: "Patrick Mercer MP said he agreed to be a consultant for work he said was outside parliament.
"But he submitted five parliamentary questions, which were all answered, as well as an early day motion - all in relation to Fiji."
It released a clip which appeared to show Mr Mercer telling the undercover reporter: "I do not charge a great deal of money for these things. I would normally come out at £500 per half day, so £1,000 a day."
Details of the allegations emerged hours after Mr Mercer dramatically announced yesterday that he would quit parliament at the next election.
In a statement, he said: "Panorama are planning to broadcast a programme alleging that I have broken Parliamentary rules.
"I am taking legal advice about these allegations - and I have referred myself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
"In the meantime, to save my party embarrassment, I have resigned the Conservative Whip and have so informed (chief whip) Sir George Young. I have also decided not to stand at the next general election."
A Tory spokesman said Prime Minister David Cameron thought the MP had "done the right thing".
"It's important that the due processes take their course," the spokesman added.
The latest allegations will also renew pressure on the Government to bring forward tougher regulation of lobbyists.
A proposed statutory register was included in the Coalition Agreement to deal with what Mr Cameron described before the 2010 election as "the next big scandal waiting to happen".
But it has so far failed to make it into the Government's legislative programme.
Stuart Wallace, chairman of the Newark Conservative Association, said: "Patrick has always been a dedicated, hard-working and popular local MP and we will be saddened if these allegations are proven.
"Until such time as there has been a full and proper investigation, in line with British justice, we shall neither pre-judge nor pre-empt the outcome.
A spokeswoman for the Standards Commissioner Kathryn Hudson said she had not yet received Mr Mercer's self-referral and would consider the case for an investigation once she had had the chance to consider it.
The MPs' code of conduct prohibits "paid advocacy".
It says: "It is wholly incompatible with the rule that any Member should take payment for speaking in the House. Nor may a Member, for payment, vote, ask a Parliamentary Question, table a Motion, introduce a Bill or table or move an Amendment to a Motion or Bill or urge colleagues or Ministers to do so."
Members are also required to register financial interests, such as outside earnings.
