Patrick Mercer: Tory MP hopes to get whip back

MP Patrick Mercer hopes to have the Tory whip returned to him - after he stepped down following claims he broke Parliament's lobbying rules.

The BBC's Panorama alleged he had accepted £4,000 to lobby for business interests in Fiji.

Speaking during a visit in his constituency, the Newark MP said it was "very painful" to think that he might have infringed people's trust.

Mr Mercer said he was "in the hands" of the parliamentary standards watchdog.