Former Blair aide cleared of cash for lobbying claim

THE House of Lords standards watchdog yesterday cleared a former close aide of Tony Blair of allegations that she was ready to exercise parliamentary influence in return for cash.

But the privileges and conduct committee found that Baroness Morgan of Huyton showed an "imperfect" understanding of the peers' code of conduct when she told an undercover reporter that she could talk to ministers and special advisers or speak in debates on behalf of clients who were paying her for advice.

Lady Morgan, who as Sally Morgan was Mr Blair's "gatekeeper" at No 10, was one of a number of parliamentarians targeted in an "sting" operation for Channel 4's Dispatches in March.

The committee found that her conversation with the reporter did not amount to an agreement to provide services as a lobbyist, and that she had made clear that she would be bound by the terms of the code of conduct in any work she agreed to do.