Former Canterbury MP Sir Julian Brazier has come under fire from a parliamentary watchdog for taking on a job with a security firm without informing Commons authorities.

The advisory committee on business appointments (ACOBA) says the former defence minister should have made them aware he has been hired to work for security consultancy Pathway, because of his previous government role.

ACOBA says it wrote to Sir Julian, who had the ministerial role under David Cameron for two years, expressing its concerns.

Given his previous role, officials told him he could not work with the government until two years after he had left his role as a minister due to the risk that he would be perceived to be breaching lobbying rules.

It subsequently further rebuked him for not telling the committee about two unpaid roles he had taken on with children's charities.

But the former MP has today defended his position, saying some of the advisory committee's observations are "harsh and unreasonable".

The matter came to light after Sir Julian rightly disclosed that he had taken on a job with the defence firm Samson which could do work for the MoD.

The committee then discovered he had not informed them about his job with Pathway or two other roles with children's charities and sent him a stern letter of rebuke.

Sir Julian said: "The purpose of the ministerial code is to prevent people from taking advantage of government contracts.

"I have apologised for not letting them know about Pathway. I didn't appreciate I had to get it cleared because it has nothing to do with government contracts and works purely in the private sector.

"They then asked if there were any other appointments I had failed to declare and I declared two small unpaid roles with two charities, for which I do not even claim expenses.

"I do find the committee's rebukes on those wholly harsh and unreasonable."