Lord Gnome has got it wrong, according to MP Tom Levitt.

The Glossop MP will not be taking up a post as a paid advisor to food company Nestle, with which he has longstanding links.

The latest issue of satirical magazine Private Eye – whose ‘proprietor’ is the fictional peer – claims Mr Levitt will be taking up the post when he steps down at the next general election, widely expected to be on May 6.

"I have no firm plans yet for what I shall be doing in the work environment after the election – though I have some irons in the fire – but the post of ‘paid advisor to Nestle’ is news to me," he said.

Mr Levitt went on a seven-day trip to South Africa – paid for by Nestle – visiting farmers and looking at the work carried out by the Swiss food giant in the wider community in 2008.

And in summer 2005 he accepted centre court tickets and hospitality at Wimbledon for himself and his wife Teresa and has been a guest of the company at a cricket match.

"Over the years I have been a guest of Nestle at Wimbledon, at a cricket test match and on a visit to South Africa in 2008 to look at corporate social responsibility, all properly recorded in the register of members’ interests," said Mr Levitt.

"Nestle is the owner of Buxton Water, an important local employer and an iconic brand of the High Peak area. It is right for the MP to have close relations with important local companies."

The magazine claimed fellow MPs had been ‘bemused’ by his defence of the Swiss food giant, which in the past has been accused of aggressively marketing powdered baby milk to third world mothers.

Mr Levitt added: "I am not aware of any MP colleague who has been ‘bemused’ in the way the story suggests. The ‘practices’ to which the story refers took place 30 to 40 years ago and I now believe that Nestle is amongst the most ethical of traders in this field."

Mr Levitt, 55, announced in November he would not be contesting the next election, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family and do something "different in the work environment."

He will be entitled to a resettlement grant of up to £54,403.44 – 84 per cent of his final salary, of which the first £30,000 is tax free –when he steps down after 13 years as High Peak MP.

A Nestle spokeswoman said: "As a large employer we look to build close relationships with all of the MPs local to our sites. As such we have always kept Mr Levitt up to date with developments in our business, however currently there are no plans for him to work with the company in the future."