Former Army Chief Faces Suspension Over Lobbying Breaches
The House of Lords has moved to suspend a former head of the British Army for serious breaches of parliamentary lobbying rules. Lord Dannatt, who served as Chief of the General Staff from 2006 to 2009, has been handed a four-month suspension following an investigation by the Lords sleaze watchdog.
Undercover Sting Reveals Rule Breaking
The investigation was triggered after Lord Dannatt was filmed by undercover journalists posing as businessmen. The crossbench peer was recorded suggesting he could arrange meetings with government ministers for their fictional property development company. This constituted a clear breach of rules against providing parliamentary services for payment or reward.
Although no money was ultimately exchanged, the peer demonstrated a clear willingness to undertake paid parliamentary services. Following this initial incident, Lord Dannatt referred himself to the Standards Commissioner. This act of self-referral led to the discovery of three further instances where he had contacted ministers or civil servants on behalf of companies in which he held a financial interest.
Multiple Breaches and Sanctions
The companies involved were UK Nitrogen, Teledyne UK, and Blue International Holdings. The Lords Conduct Committee, which upheld the findings of the independent Commissioner for Standards, noted that the sheer number of breaches was a key aggravating factor. These improper interactions took place over a period of two years, justifying a significant sanction.
The Committee did acknowledge Lord Dannatt's expressions of remorse and his recognition of the damage such cases cause to the reputation of the House of Lords. Despite this, a four-month suspension was deemed necessary.
In a related case, Lord Evans of Watford received a five-month suspension. The Labour peer was found to have broken lobbying rules by offering undercover journalists access to ministers to benefit a company, Affinity, partly owned by his son. Lord Evans also breached events rules by sponsoring functions in the Lords where tickets were sold above cost price to drum up business.
Both suspensions now require formal approval by the House of Lords to come into effect. Neither peer appealed against the Commissioner's findings or the recommended sanctions.
