By
Matthew Holehouse, Political Correspondent
11:02AM GMT 24 Feb 2015
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• Rifkind quits ISC chair, to resign from Parliament
• EXC Jack Straw to take job with company he lobbied for
• Television review: Dispatches - Politicians For Hire
• Investigation: The MPs who earn £1,600 an hour
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11.52 The European Commission has sought to distance itself from Jack Straw's boasts to have changed the law in Ukraine on behalf on lobbyists.
Jack Straw told our undercover reporters that he secured changes to separate rules governing sugar production in Ukraine and at a European level in Brussels, on behalf of ED&F Man, a British firm for which he is a paid consultant.
The company, one of Britain's largest commodity traders, has employed Mr Straw since 2011, with his earnings now amounting to £60,000 per year, paid in flat fees of £15,000 each quarter.
He claims he travelled to Brussels to make ED&F Man's case to a senior European Union official.
ED&F Man wanted the rules changed so that the sugar beet crop itself, rather than raw beet sugar, was named as the “equivalent” to raw cane sugar.
"To cut another very, very long story short, and as I say, [Mr Straw's parliamentary aide] did a lot of help, work on this too, I got into see the relevant director general and his officials in Brussels ... and we got the sugar regulations changed."
Mr Straw's register of interests shows that he travelled to Brussels on Tuesday June 4 2013 on a trip funded by ED&F Man, for whom, according to the entry, he was "undertaking consultancy".
Read more about his claims here.
But Bruno Waterfield, the Telegraph's Brussels Correspondent, has asked the European Commission about the claims.
“As a general view the commission is very cautious about people boasting about their achievements with the commission. We know better," a spokesman tells him.
“There was no meeting with any director general. There were meetings with Taxud (Taxation and Customs Union) officials and the sugar merchant company ED&F man in June where certain issues were raise. However the change of the legislation in question took place after a meeting of the customs code committee where it was discussed at length with all member states present. Changes to the regulation were made in accordance with all member states."
Mr Straw will have the opportunity to explain the discrepency when he appears before the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
11.50 Eric Pickles says he is "very sad" about Rifkind.
"Very sorry to hear about Sir Malcolm’s decision…I’m very sad to see him go," he says, in comments picked up by PoliticsHome.com.
11.30 The ISC has now been meeting for 90 minutes. The press is waiting outside.
11.15 Our profile of Sir Malcolm: the suave Scot with a sharp mind
Over the course of the last three decades Sir Malcolm Rifkind has become one of the Conservative Party’s most recognisable and respected figures.
Fraser Nelson, editor of the Spectator, says Rifkind's career ended in 1997 after he went into a "huff".
11.00 A Conservative spokesman says: "Sir Malcolm has had a long career of distinguished service both to the Conservative Party and the country.
"We respect and support his decision to stand down."
10.55 Who will replace Sir Malcolm?
There is now a vacancy for the remainder of the Parliament to replace Sir Malcolm as chair of the ISC. The favourite is said to be Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader. The other members of the Committee, who may seek the position, are:
Hazel Blears, the Blair-era security minister
Lord Butler, the former Cabinet Secretary
Mark Field, the MP for the Cities of London and Westminster
George Howarth, the Labour MP for Knowsley
Julian Lewis, the Tory MP for New Forest East
Lord Lothian, who as Michael Ancram was the deputy Tory leader
Fiona Mactaggart, the Labour MP for Slough.
And the jucier prize: the safe Tory seat of Kensington and Chelsea. Expect battle-royale among would-be Conservative MPs for that selection.
Joe Murphy, the Political Editor of the London Evening Standard, says: "Boris must be kicking himself .... He had his eye on Kensington (maj 8,616) for ages. Probably the most coveted Tory seat."
The seat, in its various incarnations, has had Tory MPs since 1906. It has a Tory majority of 8,617.
10.30 The full statement from Sir Malcolm Rifkind, as he announces an early resignation from Parliament.
"I had intended to seek one further term as MP for Kensington, before retiring from the House of Commons. I have concluded that to end the uncertainty it would be preferable, instead, to step down at the end of this Parliament.
"This is entirely my personal decision. I have had no such requests from my constituency association but I believe that it is the right and proper action to take. As regards the allegations of Channel 4 and the Daily Telegraph I find them contemptible and will not comment further at this time."
"Although I will retire from Parliament I shall continue my public and political life and am much looking forward to doing so over the years to come."
Has he struck a deal with No 10 to go quietly?
10.25 Kim Howells, the former chair of the ISC, says Rifkind has done the "right thing". The affair is "sordid", an "awful shame" and marked by "sheer stupidity and greed".
"Shame in every respect of the word, really. It is such a waste, and such silliness, and it does the whole reputation of Parliamentarians no good whatsoever."
10.15 Breaking: Sir Malcolm will step down from Parliament at the election. He had wanted at least one more term as MP for Kensington and Chelsea, a safe Tory seat.
10.12 Breaking: Sir Malcolm Rifkind has stood down as chairman of the Committee.
A statement has been released by the Cabinet Office. It says that he fears the affair may distract from a major report his committee is preparing into Edward Snowden, the NSA leaker.
"None of the current controversy with which I am associated is relevant to my work as Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.
"However, I have today informed my colleagues that while I will remain a member of the Committee, I will step down from the Chairmanship.
"The Committee is due to be dissolved in little over a month with the prorogation of Parliament for the forthcoming General Election. The main substantive work which needs to be completed will be the publication of our Privacy and Security Report during March.
"I do not want the work of the Committee and the publication of the Report to be, in any way, distracted or affected by controversy as to my personal position. I have concluded, therefore, that it is better that this important work should be presided over by a new Chairman."
That claim that offered to work for a fictitious Chinese company is "not relevant" to his work as the watchdog of British intelligence will be disputed by some.
10.10 Lord King, the former Chair of the ISC, says Sir Malcolm must face a swift disciplinary process.
10.00 First rule of Intelligence and Security Committee: don't...
This is the Whitehall door behind which Sir Malcolm's fate could be sealed this morning, writes Ben Riley-Smith.
At least four members of the Intelligence and Security Committee have so far arrived and refused to comment - Hazel Blears, Lord Butler of Brockwell, George Howarth and Fiona Mactaggart.
And now a fifth, Julian Lewis, who pauses to say: "There is nothing I can usefully add before the meeting."
It seems not many are in talking mood.
09.40 Kim Howells, a former FCO ministers and Sir Malcolm's predecessor on the ISC, overnight suggested he should step down - saying he was "bewildered" at his claims at having "spare time."
"It became for me a full time job, trying to get through that material and make sense of it,” he told the BBC.
"If the intelligence and security services are not properly overseen, if they are not properly accountable to Parliament and the people then all hell can break loose.
"One would have thought that great care would have been needed by anyone who is chairing that committee. I think it is going to be very difficult for him."
09.35 Sir Malcolm Rifkind has had an ill-tempered exchange with a Sky News crew who doorstepped him on his way to the meeting of the ISC.
"Mind your own business," he says when asked if he will quit. "Don't be childish." "It's great fun, isn't it?" he shouts to a passerby.
He tells the crew they are walking on private property. "You'll be in trouble." "Don't walk into the road, you might hurt yourself". The camera man incorrectly asked if he will quit the defence committee. "You don't even know your own committee," Rifkind shoots back. He is showing the strain.
09.30 Good morning.
This morning the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, which scrutinises the intelligence agencies, is holding a routine meeting to discuss the Edward Snowden revelations.
However, it will likely focus on the role played by its Chairman - Sir Malcolm Rifkind. He was caught in a Telegraph sting, offering to work for a fictitious Chinese company.
Sources say the committee is split over whether Rifkind can remain in the highly sensitive post, which grants him access to classified documents and the intelligence chairmen.
Labour members of the committee have arrived early for the closed-door meeting - perhaps to discuss the case. We will bring you the latest. Yesterday's live blog can be read here.
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