AN EAST Lancashire company has hit back at the way its connection with Blackburn MP Jack Straw has been portrayed following the latest cash for access row.

Accrington-based Senator International released a statement following the allegation that Mr Straw had lobbied a minister on its behalf ahead of it gaining two government contracts worth £75 million in total.

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It is alleged the former foreign secretary privately lobbied Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude for the office furniture company, based at Altham Business Park, so it would have the chance to bid for the government contract to supply furniture to Whitehall.

Mr Straw, who yesterday described being the subject of an undercover sting as like ‘being hit by a truck’, said he later agreed to be an advisor to the company, but had made it clear he would only take up the position after he had retired from the House of Commons.

The company’s comments come after it was dragged into the cash for access row which has seen Mr Straw and Sir Malcolm Rifkind criticised following secret filming of their separate meetings with a fake Chinese business.

Commentators have said Mr Straw’s relationship with Senator, while not technically wrong, highlights a loophole in parliamentary rules.

Senator chairman Colin Mustoe said in a statement: “The article which appeared in the Daily Telegraph presents a very misleading picture of the relationship between Senator International Ltd and Mr Straw.

“Mr Straw is one of our local MPs and quite properly has been involved in assisting the company in a number of areas.

“This included requesting that government tenders used factory visits as part of the process so there was clarity where goods were manufactured.

“None of these have involved lobbying for the company or assisting in procuring government business.

“Senator has been a long term supplier to government departments for many years.

“When it became public knowledge that Mr Straw was leaving parliament at the next election a discussion took place with Mr Straw to see whether he would be prepared to act as an advisor on international matters, drawing upon his considerable experience as Foreign Secretary.

“It was agreed that he would take up this role on June 1, 2015, after the election.

“The company regrets the way in which this matter is being presented but will be issuing no more statements at this time.”

Mr Straw said: “The plan, before all of this happened,was for me to take a role with Senator when I step down as an MP. As it stands that is still the plan. However being the subject of a sting like this is like being hit by a truck and I need time to breathe.

“I’m going to take stock and see where I want to go from here. I have acted in accordance with the parliamentary rules at all times, in respect of Senator International as in all other respects.”

“All of these matters will be scrutinised by the Parliamentary Commissioner, to whom I have already drawn this matter to her attention.”

Graham Jones, MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden, said: “Jack got involved when we were both invited to a meeting with Colin Mustoe in December 2011. Jack spoke to Francis Maude because many of Senator’s employees come from his constituency.

“He wanted to make sure that the government’s procurer rules were followed correctly so that British companies were not discriminated against in the process. That’s where his involvement ended because it’s not up to us whether the company would get the contracts or not.”

Senator’s comments come after Mr Straw was criticised in a Channel 4 documentary featuring secret filming of a meeting inside his parliamentary office.

Monday night’s Dispatches programme, which included reporters from the Daily Telegraph, showed extracts from a meeting between two undercover reporters and Mr Straw where he discussed potentially working for a fictitious Chinese PR firm.