▁his ▁marg inal ▁North ▁War wick shire ▁seat , ▁despite ▁winning ▁more ▁votes ▁than ▁at ▁the ▁election ▁before . ▁ ▁Sta unch ▁supp orter ▁of ▁Michael ▁Port illo , ▁Mac G reg or ▁was ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁behind ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁install ▁extra ▁phone ▁lines ▁in ▁a ▁house ▁in ▁Lord ▁North ▁Street ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁as ▁a ▁possible ▁campaign ▁H Q ▁for ▁Port illo ▁when ▁it ▁appeared ▁Major ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁point ▁of ▁being ▁ou sted ▁by ▁the ▁right . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁ran ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁May oral ▁campaign ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁elect ▁Steve ▁Nor ris ▁as ▁Mayor ▁of ▁London ▁– ▁Nor ris ▁lost ▁to ▁Ken ▁Living stone . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁he ▁supported ▁David ▁Hand ley ▁in ▁his ▁bid ▁for ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Farm ers ▁Union . ▁ ▁B ets yg ate ▁ ▁Al leg ations ▁which ▁sur fac ed ▁concerning ▁the ▁payment , ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁Parliament ary ▁pur se , ▁of ▁w ages ▁to ▁B ets y ▁Dun can ▁Smith ▁led ▁to ▁an ▁investigation ▁into ▁the ▁conduct ▁of ▁ID S ▁by ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁Committee ▁on ▁Stand ards ▁and ▁Priv ile ges . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁Conserv atives ▁launched ▁an ▁inqu iry ▁into ▁the ▁" B ets yg ate ▁affair " ▁and ▁Mac G reg or ' s ▁alleg ed ▁role ▁in ▁it . ▁The ▁Sunday ▁Te legraph ▁revealed ▁that ▁the ▁party ▁had ▁been ▁re -