Editing Neil Hamilton (politician) (section)

====Enquiry====
The "cash for questions" parliamentary enquiry took place in 1997, led by Downey. Hamilton vowed that if the "Downey report" found against him, he would resign.

[[Edwina Currie]], a former health minister, gave evidence. She told the inquiry that, in May 1988, Hamilton had been unmoved by a set of photographs that depicted smoking-related cancers; that is, harm to young people which might be caused by a product (tobacco) that he promoted.<ref>''The Independent'', 5 July 1997.</ref> Hamilton argued the pictures were irrelevant. Both Hamilton and [[Michael Brown (British politician)|Michael Brown]] had received a £6,000 [[honorarium]] and hospitality from [[Skoal tobacco|Skoal]] Bandits.<ref>{{cite web|author=The Committee Office, House of Commons|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmstnprv/030ii/sp01140.htm |title=House of Commons – Standards and Privileges – First Report |website=Publications.parliament.uk |access-date=5 May 2012}}</ref> In December 1989, the sale of Skoal Bandit products was banned in the UK by the Secretary of State for Health, [[Kenneth Clarke]].<ref>[http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/safety-ban-on-skoal-bandits-1.598902 "Safety ban on Skoal Bandits"], ''The Herald'', 14 December 1989.</ref>

Downey reported that he found the evidence against Hamilton in the case of Al-Fayed "compelling". Hamilton received over £25,000 and had deliberately misled Michael Heseltine, then [[President of the Board of Trade]], in October 1994, when he said he had no financial relationship with Ian Greer. In a phone conversation, Hamilton gave an absolute assurance to Heseltine that there was no such relationship, but he had received two payments from Greer in 1988 and 1989, totalling £10,000.<ref name=IndDM>Donald McIntyre, [https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/a-clear-response-to-the-cash-for-questions-mps-1248896.html "A clear response to the cash for questions MPs"], ''The Independent'', 4 July 1997.</ref> Hamilton had asked for payment in kind so the money would not be taxable. He also failed to register his stays at the [[Hôtel Ritz Paris]] and at Al-Fayed's castle in Scotland in 1989.<ref>"The sleaze report: Five men who fell below the standards that Parliament demands from an MP - Hamilton: cash and a stay at Ritz; Smith: accepted cash in return for lobbying; Grylls: Misled committee over dealings Bowden: Did not declare; Brown: Failed to register", ''The Independent'', 4 July 1997.</ref>

On 3 July 1997, the enquiry found Hamilton guilty of taking "cash for questions". ''[[The Independent]]'' wrote: "Sir Gordon, contrary to Hamilton's confident expectations, had no compunction about concluding that he did indeed take cash in brown envelopes" and called on the new party leader to "expel the miscreants".<ref name=IndDM/> Hamilton, Smith (also found guilty), Brown and [[Michael Grylls]] were harshly criticised. If Hamilton and Smith had remained in parliament, Downey said he might have recommended long periods of suspension for both. Hamilton rejected these findings, whereas Smith, who had stood down, accepted them, apologised for his conduct, and retired from politics altogether.