A former British Army leader has been given 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 discovered to have breached rules prohibiting the exchange of parliamentary services for payment. He was caught on camera offering to arrange meetings with government officials for individuals posing as developers from a fictitious property company.
Lord Dannatt voluntarily reported himself to the investigative body, which uncovered three additional instances of him contacting ministers or bureaucrats on behalf of companies he had a financial interest in, including UK Nitrogen, Teledyne UK, and Blue International Holdings.
Although no money changed hands, Lord Dannatt exhibited a clear willingness to engage in activities that could be construed as paid parliamentary services. The Lords Conduct Committee upheld the findings of the independent Commissioner for Standards and imposed a four-month suspension on him.
Acknowledging Lord Dannatt’s remorse, the Committee emphasized the severity of the case due to the multiple breaches of the code over a two-year span. In a statement, Lord Dannatt expressed regret over the findings and accepted the imposed sanction without contesting it.
Furthermore, Lord Evans of Watford was also suspended for five months for violating lobbying regulations by offering access to ministers. Allegations suggested that the Labour peer offered “cash for access” to individuals posing as potential clients of a company linked to his son. Lord Evans, who held a significant stake in the company, failed to uphold his personal integrity when he indicated a willingness to introduce them to MPs.
The investigation revealed that Lord Evans sponsored events at the Lords on behalf of the company and approached peers to participate in those events. The probe also found that he breached House of Lords event regulations by advertising tickets for sale above cost price.
The suspensions are pending approval by the House of Lords. Neither peer contested the findings or the recommended sanctions by the Commissioner.
