A Tory MP has denied any wrongdoing in a row over House of Commons dining rules.

Bob Spink, the Conservative MP for Castle Point, has been reported to Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Sir Philip Mawer by Labour MPs for allegedly breaking rules by using his name to book a dinner for a fundraising group for the Tory party.

The complaint against Dr Spink is part of a wider inquiry into the misuse of Commons dining rooms, where fundraising functions for parties are prohibited.

The controversy surrounds this year's Christmas dinner for the Basildon House of Commons Dining Club, which contributed £5,000 to the Conservatives' general election campaign in 2001.

Dr Spink signed a form booking the club's dinner in his name because they were apparently unable to approach their former MP, David Amess, after a disagreement within the local association.

Dr Spink has now found himself under investigation, along with 21 other Conservative MPs.

However, Dr Spink said he was confident the investigation would clear him of any malpractice. He said he merely booked the dinner out of courtesy and did not actually attend.

Dr Spink told the Echo: "The dinner was nothing to do with me. I allowed the Conservative Association to use my name.

"I believe that is perfectly acceptable within the rules of the House of Commons and it is something that has been done ever since I became an MP.

"I am told I have not broken any rules whatsoever.

"I will not be doing it again. I personally do not use the House of Commons facilities for political fundraising dinners at all. I have used them occasionally for charitable occasions."

He also said the Basildon Conservative Association told him the dinner would not be for fundraising purposes.

Angela Smith, MP for Basildon and East Thurrock, said: "As far as I am aware, this dining club has been going for a long, long time and I doubt that anybody who paid to have dinner at the House of Commons realised they were breaking the rules.

"Bob Spink is clearly very embarrassed by it.

"However, if the Parliamentary commissioner does find that the rules have been broken, it is a very serious matter."