A former top official of the British Army has been handed a four-month suspension from the House of Lords for violating lobbying regulations. Lord Dannatt, who held the position of Chief of the General Staff from 2006 to 2009, was found to have breached rules prohibiting the exchange of parliamentary services for “payment or reward.” An investigation revealed that the crossbench peer was recorded assuring undercover reporters posing as businessmen that he could arrange meetings with government ministers for their fictitious property development firm.
Lord Dannatt voluntarily reported himself to the ethics oversight body, which uncovered evidence of three additional instances where he contacted ministers or government officials on behalf of companies in which he had a financial interest – UK Nitrogen, Teledyne UK, and Blue International Holdings. The investigation determined that he demonstrated a clear readiness to engage in activities that could be construed as providing paid parliamentary services, although no monetary transactions took place. The Lords Conduct Committee upheld the conclusions and recommendations made by the independent Commissioner for Standards, resulting in Lord Dannatt’s four-month suspension from the House of Lords.
Acknowledging Lord Dannatt’s expressions of regret and realization of the potential harm such incidents could inflict on the House’s reputation, the Conduct Committee stated, “The primary aggravating factor in this case was the existence of four separate violations of the code. The numerous improper interactions Lord Dannatt had with ministers or officials, spanning a two-year period, warranted a significant penalty.”
In a released statement, Lord Dannatt expressed remorse, stating, “I deeply regret the Commissioner’s findings regarding my personal integrity, and I opted not to contest the findings but to accept the appropriate sanction from the Conduct Committee. I acknowledge that lack of awareness of all aspects of the Code of Conduct does not serve as a defense, and that merely disclosing my interests to the Lords’ Interests Registrar and declaring my relevant interests in communications and meetings, as I did in all three instances, was inadequate. I also recognize that acting in good faith in the national interest, which motivated my actions in those three instances, does not excuse or justify violations of the Code of Conduct.”
Lord Evans of Watford also received a five-month suspension after being found to have breached lobbying regulations by offering access to ministers. The Labour peer was accused of offering “cash for access” to undercover journalists posing as potential clients of a company, Affinity, owned by his son, in which he held a one-third stake. The Commissioner concluded that Lord Evans failed to uphold his personal integrity when he indicated a willingness to introduce the journalists to Members of Parliament due to his financial interest in Affinity.
Moreover, Lord Evans was found to have sponsored events at the House of Lords on behalf of Affinity and to have approached peers to participate in those events. The investigation further determined that he violated House of Lords event regulations as tickets for the events were advertised at prices exceeding the cost. The events were utilized to promote business for Affinity, and as the event sponsor, Lord Evans failed to ensure compliance with the House’s rules.
The suspensions are subject to approval by the House of Lords before taking effect. Neither peer opted to challenge the Commissioner’s findings or the proposed sanctions.