A former Cabinet minister hit by a Parliamentary lobbying scandal has cancelled his planned visit to Colchester.

Ex-Transport Secretary Stephen Byers, whose mother lives in Colchester and sister in Wivenhoe, was due to speak to students at Colchester’s Sixth Form College on Thursday.

The North Tyneside MP was invited by Jordan Newell, Labour’s prospective Parliamentary candidate for Colchester.

But following claims Mr Byers offered to use his influence and knowledge as a former minister in return for money, he pulled out of the visit.

Mr Newell said: “We were very much looking forward to welcoming Stephen Byers back to Colchester, but in light of current circumstances, we have mutually agreed this would not be a suitable time. I am saddened at this latest turn of events, which will do nothing to restore the tarnished image of Parliament following the expenses scandal.”

Mr Byers, who is retiring as an MP this year, reportedly told an undercover reporter he had secured secret deals with ministers, could get confidential information from Number 10 and was able to help firms involved in price fixing to get around the law.

The next day Mr Byers retracted the claims.

He has since insisted he never lobbied ministers on behalf of commercial interests and had exaggerated his influence.

MPs are barred from taking money to influence ministers or legislation. Former MPs are not subject to such restrictions.

Details of the meetings were revealed in the Sunday Times and on Channel 4’s Dispatches programme last night.

Yesterday Mr Byers had referred his own case to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards for a ruling on whether he breached the MPs’ code of conduct.