TORY MPs received nearly £10,000 worth of free tickets and hospitality to enjoy a night at the Brit Awards, according to newly published records.
Andrew Bowie, who represents West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, was one of six Conservatives who have declared donations on the latest MP register of financial interests, in relation to going to the music event at the O2 in London, on February 8.
He received one ticket valued at £850 from UK Music, which represents the commercial music industry.
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Former UK health secretary Matt Hancock, who was pictured at the awards with girlfriend Gina Coladangelo, declared two tickets with a value of £2040, which were donated by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which runs the music industry bash.
Other Tory MPs who received tickets from BPI include Employment Minister Mims Davies, who declared suite hospitality to the value of £1020.
Former culture secretary John Whittingdale registered two tickets worth £2000 from BPI.
Two other Tory MPs went to the awards, which was attended by stars such as Adele, Ed Sheeran and Sam Fender, thanks to donations from the Betting and Gaming Council. Laurence Robertson, MP for Tewkesbury, received entrance and hospitality for him and his wife, with a total value of £2328.
Conservative MP for Somerton and Frome, David Warburton, who is also a composer, received one ticket with a value of £1164.
No MPs from other parties declared any donations in relation to the event.
Last year, five ministers in Boris Johnson’s government came under scrutiny over the issue of free tickets to the Brit Awards.
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An investigation was launched by Westminster’s sleaze watchdog over allegations MPs had failed to declare the donations, worth up to £900 each, within the required 28-day time limit.
They included then international trade secretary Liz Truss, work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey and Foreign Office minister James Cleverly. Culture minister Caroline Dinenage and then science minister Amanda Solloway were also probed by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
A total of eight MPs, including Tory backbencher Nickie Aiken and Labour MP Conor McGinn, were investigated over whether they broke the code of conduct.
The Commissioner found there was no evidence of a breach from five MPs, as the donations would be recorded on the register of ministerial interests, and therefore not required to also be on the MPs register. The other MPs were found to have breached the code at the “less serious end of the spectrum”.
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