Boris Johnson today dodged a question about a fracking and web industry lobbyist who is helping write the Tory manifesto.
The Prime Minister swerved giving a straight answer after it emerged Rachel Wolf has been given a role "assisting" the party with its plan for government.
Ms Wolf is a director of the lobbying firm Public First Ltd, which represents fracking giant Cuadrilla and the Internet Association - the body for controversial firms including Airbnb, Uber, Amazon, Twitter and Facebook .
Public First denied any conflict of interest, telling The Guardian Ms Wolf's political work was "wholly separate" from the firm's commercial interests.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing or breaking the rules.
But Labour shadow minister Jon Trickett claimed it was an “outrage to democracy that the frackers, the tax avoiders and the zero-hour exploiters will have the biggest say when it comes to Tory policy”.
Labour MP Alan Whitehead raised the case at Prime Minister's Questions.
He said: "Labour will be producing a strong offer on the climate emergency and net zero at the forthcoming election, including a full ban on the extraction of fossil fuel by fracking.
"What chance does the Prime Minister think he has of matching this offer, particularly in light of the news that the Conservative manifesto is going to be written by a lobbyist for the fracking industry?"
In reply, Mr Johnson did not address Ms Wolf's role.
But he did reveal an announcement on fracking policy will be made "shortly". It is thought it is due in the next few days.
Mr Johnson said: "We will shortly be making an announcement about fracking in this country in view of the very considerable anxieties that are legitimately being raised about the earthquakes that have followed various fracking attempts in the UK.
"We will certainly be following up on those findings... They will be of concern to members."
The government has signalled support for the shale gas industry and is keen to cut the country's reliance on imports of natural gas, used to heat around 80% of Britain's homes.
However fracking, which involves extracting gas from rocks by breaking them up with water and chemicals at high pressure, is fiercely opposed by environmentalists who say it is at odds with Britain's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A Public First spokesman told The Guardian: "Public First has partners and staff who are members of all three major political parties and of none.
"Rachel is assisting the Conservative party with their manifesto based on her long experience of working on Conservative policy.
"Her political work is wholly separate from any commercial arrangements our firm has."
