A campaign group highlighting Steve Baker’s stance on climate change has hit back at suggestions it broke data laws.

The MP for Wycombe, who has questioned mainstream climate science, warned the ‘Steve Baker Watch’ group against breaking data laws in a lengthy statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

He said: “If Steve Baker Watch has not broken any kind of data laws, could they please confirm how they accessed the names of members of the Wycombe Conservative Association, when they wrote unsolicited letters to them last year.”

The group has denied any kind of data breach and has hit back at the MP, who is also Minister for Northern Ireland.

A spokesperson told the LDRS: “Steve Baker Watch includes a member of Wycombe Conservative Association and the email addresses of the Conservative committee were supplied by them.

“Constituents of all parties have grave concerns over representatives who deny the urgency of climate action.”

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Baker was previously a trustee of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, which has been accused of rejecting climate science.

Steve Baker Watch, which launched as a “non-partisan campaign group” in February last year, has sought to remind residents of his voting record, questioning of scientific evidence and the climate emergency.

The group relies entirely on crowdfunding to finance its campaigns, which have previously included distributing leaflets and postcards to raise awareness of Baker and climate change.

The MP criticised the group’s funding, saying that it could not properly vet its donors due to many of them being anonymous.

He also claimed that the group was classed as a ‘third party campaigner’ under Electoral Commission rules and was therefore a political organisation.

Steve Baker Watch has maintained that it is strictly non-partisan and that it counts people from all political shades among its ranks.

It said: “We are aware of the Electoral Commission’s regulations. Steve Baker Watch is indeed a ‘non-party campaign’ (NPC), or a ‘third party’.

“Please be aware that NPCs are only regulated when they campaign during a regulated period in the build-up to an election.”

Baker had pointed to anonymous donations of £500 and £200 made to Steve Baker Watch through its crowdfunding page.

The group said: “This statement was in reference to any monies received within what might have been an electoral period.

It added that the only donation it had received of over £500 was on the February 16, 2022 “well outside a potential electoral period”.