A former leader of the British Army has been hit with a four-month suspension from the House of Lords for violating lobbying regulations. Lord Dannatt, who previously held the position of Chief of the General Staff from 2006 to 2009, was found to have breached rules prohibiting offering parliamentary services in exchange for “payment or reward.” Undercover journalists posing as businessmen recorded him stating that he could arrange meetings with government ministers for their fictitious property development firm.
Lord Dannatt voluntarily reported himself to the ethics watchdog, which discovered additional instances where he had contacted ministers or government officials on behalf of companies in which he had a financial interest – namely UK Nitrogen, Teledyne UK, and Blue International Holdings.
Although no financial transactions occurred, it was determined that Lord Dannatt displayed a clear willingness to engage in activities that could be construed as paid parliamentary services. The Lords Conduct Committee upheld the conclusions and recommendations of the independent Commissioner for Standards, resulting in a four-month suspension from the House of Lords.
The Committee acknowledged Lord Dannatt’s expressions of remorse and acknowledgment of the potential harm such cases could inflict on the House’s reputation. However, they emphasized the severity of the situation due to the multiple breaches of the code by Lord Dannatt over a two-year period, leading to the imposition of a significant penalty.
In his response, Lord Dannatt expressed deep regret over the Commissioner’s findings on his personal integrity and opted not to challenge the decision but to accept the appropriate sanction. He conceded that his lack of full understanding of the Code of Conduct did not excuse his actions and acknowledged that acting in good faith in the national interest did not justify breaching the Code.
Lord Evans of Watford also faced a five-month suspension for violating lobbying rules by offering access to ministers. Allegations surfaced that the Labour peer had offered “cash for access” to undercover journalists pretending to be potential clients of a company owned by his son, Affinity, of which he held a one-third stake.
The Commissioner concluded that Lord Evans had failed to uphold his personal integrity when he indicated his willingness to introduce the journalists to Members of Parliament, given his financial interest as a shareholder in Affinity. Additionally, Lord Evans sponsored events at the House of Lords on behalf of the company, infringing on House of Lords events regulations by selling event tickets above their cost price.
The events were utilized to promote business for Affinity, and Lord Evans, as the event sponsor, neglected to ensure compliance with the House’s rules. The suspensions for both Lord Dannatt and Lord Evans are pending approval by the House of Lords. Neither peer contested the Commissioner’s findings or the proposed penalties.