Patrick Mercer MP signed a contract with a bogus lobbying company, undercover photographs show The scandal, details of which will be exposed by The Telegraph and Panorama, involved Mr Mercer lobbying on behalf of Fiji. Parliamentary records show that he asked a question about the regime's suspension from the Commonwealth and put down an Early Day Motion - a device used by MPs to draw attention to certain causes. Mr Mercer's resignation initially sparked speculation that he was preparing a challenge to David Cameron's leadership. The MP has repeatedly criticised the Prime Minister and called for him to be replaced. He was sacked from the Tory front bench in March 2007 after he suggested in an interview that being called a "black bastard" was a normal part of life in the armed forces. He added that he had met a lot of "idle and useless" ethnic minority soldiers. In a statement, Mr Mercer said: "Panorama are planning to broadcast a programme alleging that I have broken Parliamentary rules. I am taking legal advice about these allegations - and I have referred myself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. A Conservative Party spokesman said: "The Prime Minister is aware. He thinks Patrick Mercer has done the right thing in referring himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and resigning the whip.