Senior Tory MP denies exploiting Albanian links for private business expansion

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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A senior Conservative MP Mark Pritchard has referred himself to the parliamentary standards watchdog for a probe after there were claims of him exploiting his foreign political contacts in Albania to set up business deals.

MP for The Wrekin in Shropshire, Mr. Pritchard has said the allegations that he had offered to set up business deals in return for hundreds of thousands of pounds “hurtful and malicious” and revealed he had contacted the Parliamentary Commission for Standards to investigate the matter.

According to the reports, Mr. Pritchard boasted to an undercover journalist from the paper Telegraph –pretending to be a businessman – and claimed he could use his “network” to set up meetings with politicians in countries where he had parliamentary connections.

The senior Tory MP, a member of the all-party parliamentary group for Albania, apparently told the reporter he should invest 10 million pounds in a group of boutique hotels in the country.

The report has also claimed that MP had disclosed to have access to the mayor of Tirana, the prime minister and the speaker.

However, Mr. Pritchard has denied the accusations and told: “The allegations made by the Telegraph are false – and I deny their claims. They have selected quotes out of context to fit their desired story, which is both hurtful and malicious and seeking to damage me.

“This is not the first time the Telegraph have made false claims about me for which I have subsequently and successfully sued them for libel. I cannot comment further as I am consulting libel lawyers. I have asked the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to investigate the matter”.

On Wednesday, Labour party has asked government to introduce new reforms limiting MPs’ outside income.

Labour spokesperson has said: “Every passing scandal and further investigation only goes to reinforce why Ed Miliband was right earlier this year to call for new rules and new limits on MP’s outside earnings. The perception that some MPs are only in it for what they can get, not for what they can give, merely serves to further undermine Parliament.”

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