Ex-Labour MP's lobbying firm offered photo with minister and VIP dinner for £30k

These include personal introductions to "stakeholders", a "photo opportunity with the minister" and one seat at a private "VIP dinner with top ... Skip to contentHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveEx-Labour MP's lobbying firm offered photo with minister and VIP dinner for £30k19 hours agoShareSaveJoe PikePolitics investigations correspondentShareSaveGetty ImagesJim Murphy was Secretary of State for Scotland between 2008 and 2010A lobbying firm run by an ex-Labour cabinet minister asked companies for £30,000 to sponsor an event, including a "photo opportunity" with a minister and access to a "VIP dinner" with "top advisers" to Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves.Arden Strategies, owned by MP turned lobbyist Jim Murphy, is hosting a "Future of Tech Summit" in London in July claiming attendees will be able to watch a "fireside chat" with Science Secretary Liz Kendall.A government source said Kendall "was not aware of this invitation and she never agreed to attend this event".Murphy's firm, one of the most prominent lobbyists of the Labour government, has apologised for what it described as "errors" and "clumsy language".It is unclear if it is still offering the sponsorship package.The BBC has obtained Arden's sponsorship document for the "tech summit" event.

It shows that for £30,000 a company would be able to sponsor a drinks reception and receive a range of benefits.These include personal introductions to "stakeholders", a "photo opportunity with the minister" and one seat at a private "VIP dinner with top advisers to the prime minister, chancellor and other senior tech policymakers".A member of Sir Keir Starmer's team said: "No Downing Street staff members have received a formal invitation to this dinner." A Treasury source said they were not aware of any of Rachel Reeves's advisers being invited.Arden Strategies said in a statement: "Information about an event unfortunately contained very clumsy language by mistake which should never have been used and hadn't been approved.

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"It was stupid to do and we apologise for this mistake. This Ex-Labour MP's lobbying firm offered photo with minister and VIP dinner for £30k - BBC News Ex-labour Lobbying Firm Ex-labour Lobbying Firm