WITHAM'S MP has said she is considering taking legal action over a national newspaper article and Twitter comments that accused her of being in the pocket of tobacco companies.
On Sunday the Observer published an article that accused Priti Patel of being an ex-tobacco lobbyist and that her stance on opposing plain packaging on cigarettes was motivated by this connection, which dated back to 2001.
The paper claimed it had obtained documents showing the conservative MP had lobbied on behalf of British American Tobacco whist working for Weber Shandwick, one of the world's largest public relations companies.
Priti Patel has long been an advocate for small business as chair of David Cameron's all-party parliamentary small shops group has said standardised packaging would be the "final nail in the coffin" of hundreds of newsagents.
But Ms Patel has denied the conflict of interest and has said this link with big tobbacco has been exaggerated.
"I worked in consultancy for 10 years and worked with charities, car companies, not-for-profit organisations, I had hundreds of clients," she said.
"Consultancy is exactly what it says on the tin, I provided advice, but to say I was a lobbyist is completely inaccurate and the Twitter comments that stated I took cash are completely wrong and an absolute lie.
"To suddenly see all these horrible defamatory comments has been awful, I'm horrified by this experience.
"I will be following this up with the Observer because the article was misleading and inaccurate and if I have to take further action against those on social media I will.
"It's not a road I want to go down but I don't think it is acceptable to print misleading things or for members of the public to vilify someone they don't know."
The Government is still considering a bill to force cigarette companies to have no branding on their packets, but the move has currently been delayed by some Tory rebel backbenchers.
