Labour calls for investigation into Grant Shapps over airfield lobbying claims

Labour has called for an investigation into claims the transport secretary lobbied against government plans to build homes on airfields.

The Sunday Times reported that Grant Shapps - a keen amateur pilot - used public money to support airfields challenging planning developments.

Labour's Lisa Nandy described the minister's action as "murky".

But the transport department said it was "right" for Mr Shapps to "promote all aspects of the department's brief".

The spokesperson added this included the aviation sector which "contributes £4bn to the economy and supports 40,000 jobs".

Meanwhile, Labour has said it will prompt a vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday, as it plans to introduce a debate on stopping MPs taking on paid directorships and commercial consultancies.

Speaking to LBC, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Parliament had experienced a "terrible two weeks" in the wake of the Owen Paterson row and that introducing such a ban would help "clean this up".

His announcement comes as MPs prepare to vote on a report criticising the former Conservative MP Mr Paterson's for lobbying on behalf of companies who were paying him.

Mr Paterson denied wrongdoing, and the government initially tried to change the process that had found the MP guilty.

However, following a fierce backlash, ministers U-turned on the plans and Mr Paterson stepped down as an MP.

On Monday evening, MPs will be able to vote on a motion formally scrapping the government's proposals and endorsing the original report into Mr Paterson. But if other business in the House of Commons overruns, there may not be time for a full debate and the motion could simply be nodded through.

Over the weekend, The Sunday Times reported that Mr Shapps set up the Airfield Advisory Team (AAT) in late 2020.

The body - based within the Civil Aviation Authority - is tasked with sustaining the UK's network of airfields, including by providing advice to public bodies such as planning authorities.

In the past the AAT has expressed concern about a housing development on Chalgrove Airfield in Oxfordshire and plans to build a gigafactory for electric car batteries on the site of Coventry Airport.

A government source told BBC News Mr Shapps was unapologetic about his support for the aviation industry and that he was in no way anti-housing, recognising that sometimes developments can help airfields to survive.

However, Labour has now asked Lord Geidt - the independent adviser into ministers' interests - to look into Mr Shapps' actions.

Speaking to the BBC, Labour's shadow foreign secretary Ms Nandy said: "This is incredibly serious... the allegations that have been made about the transport secretary is that he has paved the way for public money to be spent on lobbying that will benefit himself personally.

"Politics gets damaged when members of the cabinet use their position to promote personal gain," she said, referring to Mr Shapps' enthusiasm for aviation and the recreational use of aircraft.

The independent adviser Lord Geidt can raise potential breaches of ministers' code of conduct, but can only launch an investigation if requested to by the prime minister.

Asked if this should change, Conservative Party Chair Oliver Dowden told the BBC's Today programme he believed the current adviser was sufficiently independent of the PM.

But he added that the prime minister should "be able to determine who is in his Cabinet".