Two peers set to be suspended over conduct breaches following undercover sting

Two members of the House of Lords are set to be suspended over breaches of the code of conduct for potential financial gain.

In two separate investigations, Lord Dannatt and Lord Evans of Watford were both found to have broken the rules on providing parliamentary services in return for “payment or reward”. The Lords Conduct Committee upheld the findings and recommendations of the independent Commissioner for Standards, with Lord Dannatt, a former head of the British army, suspended from the Lords for four months and Lord Evans for five months. Neither peer appealed against the Commissioner’s findings or recommended sanction and both suspensions will come into force following agreement by the House of Commons. The investigations were launched in response to comments made by both peers to undercover journalists. Lord Dannatt was found to have showed a “clear willingness to undertake activity that would have amounted to paid parliamentary services” during his conversations, but no money was exchanged. Evidence later emerged of three separate cases in which Lord Dannatt had provided parliamentary services in return for payment. These involved corresponding with ministers and officials on behalf of companies in which he had a financial interest and, in two cases, attending a meeting with a minister or senior official. The firms involved were UK Mitrogen, Teledyne UK and Blue International Holdings. The Conduct Committee said it gave “due weight to Lord Dannatt’s expressions of remorse and recognition of the potential damage such cases cause to the reputation of the House”. But it added: “The key aggravating factor in the case was the fact that there were four separate findings of breaches of the code. The sheer number of Lord Dannatt’s improper interactions with ministers or officials, and their duration over a period of two years, justify a significant sanction.” It was alleged that Lord Evans offered “cash for access” during meetings with undercover journalists posing as potential clients of a company, Affinity, owned by the peer’s son. Lord Evans held one-third of the shares in the company. The Commissioner said Lord Evans failed to act on his personal honour when he told undercover journalists he would be willing to introduce them to MPs, given his financial interest as a shareholder in Affinity. It was also found that Lord Evans had sponsored events at the House of Lords on behalf of the company and approached members of the House of Lords to speak at those events, thereby providing parliamentary services to the company in which he had a financial incentive. The Commissioner also concluded that Lord Evans broke House of Lords events rules as tickets for the events were advertised for sale at above cost price. The events were used to promote and drum up business for Affinity and Lord Evans, as sponsor of the events, “failed to satisfy himself that the events complied with the House’s rules”. In a statement, Lord Dannatt said: “The Commissioner found that I had breached the Code of Conduct over these three matters. “For the record I would add that the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists also investigated the two UK-based matters and concluded that I had not conducted consultant lobbying. “I deeply regret the Commissioner’s findings regarding my personal honour and I decided that the honourable course of action was not to waste the Conduct Committee’s time by appealing against the findings but to accept the appropriate sanction. “I accept further that ignorance of all aspects of the Code of Conduct does not constitute a defence and that registration of my interests with the Registrar of Lords’ Interests and my declaration of my relevant interests in correspondence and at meetings, as occurred in all three matters, was insufficient. “I also understand that acting in the national interest in good faith, which was my motivation in the three matters, is not an excuse or justification for breaching the Code of Conduct. “At nearly seventy-five no one is too old to learn lessons and I hope that these activities will be placed in the context of my 56-years public service.”

Published: 24/11/2025 by Radio NewsHub