Richard Harrington, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Watford, has made an official complaint to Channel 4 after he was featured in a controversial documentary.

Mr Harrington, who is honorary chairman of the Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) group, was one of several political figures named in Monday night’s Dispatches investigation “Inside Britain’s Israel Lobby".

The programme, presented by journalist Peter Oborne, sought to investigate the myriad of allegedly secretive campaign groups that campaign on behalf of the Israeli state.

These groups, claimed the programme, wielded enormous influences not only in the corridors of power but within the news media.

Mr Harrington, the programme implied, had donated and received large sums of money on behalf of the CFI group – figures he described as “made-up".

He told the Watford Observer: “I was very disappointed with the programme. I thought it was very distorted and obviously had an agenda.

“I am honorary chairman of the Conservative Friends of Israel and am very proud of that. I have always been very open about my involvement and it is listed on my website.

“But the programme tried to make out that I was trying to hide something, which is absolutely not true. The figures they quoted were completely untrue.

“The Middle East is a real interest of mine. I’ve worked very hard for peace in the region, which is more than the programme makers have done.

“I have been to Gaza and I have been to the West Bank. I understand the region far better than Peter Oborne.

“I have made an official complaint to Channel 4.”