Lord Richard Dannatt, the former head of the British army, has been found to have broken rules four times since 2022 after using his peerage to open doors for business interests.
Dannatt was awarded a peerage by David Cameron in 2011 and received the Queen's House at the Tower of London as part of his role as constable of the Tower of London. He has used these roles to introduce companies, including one from Sierra Leone that was seeking permission for a £500m hydroelectric dam project, to ministers and officials.
However, Dannatt has also been accused of using his position to facilitate conversations between companies and government officials in exchange for payments.
In 2012, two undercover journalists from the Sunday Times secretly filmed Dannatt as he suggested joining their advisory board to promote a new defence product in exchange for £100,000 per year.
The House of Lords committee has ruled that Dannatt's actions were breaches of the rules and have imposed a four-month suspension on him. The decision was made after an investigation found that Dannatt had broken the code of conduct by offering his services as a paid member of a fake company's advisory board and by attempting to influence a criminal investigation into a group that attacked a factory owned by a US defence contractor.
Dannatt has accepted the sanction and expressed regret for his actions, stating that he hopes people will place them in the context of his 56 years' public service.
Dannatt was awarded a peerage by David Cameron in 2011 and received the Queen's House at the Tower of London as part of his role as constable of the Tower of London. He has used these roles to introduce companies, including one from Sierra Leone that was seeking permission for a £500m hydroelectric dam project, to ministers and officials.
However, Dannatt has also been accused of using his position to facilitate conversations between companies and government officials in exchange for payments.
In 2012, two undercover journalists from the Sunday Times secretly filmed Dannatt as he suggested joining their advisory board to promote a new defence product in exchange for £100,000 per year.
The House of Lords committee has ruled that Dannatt's actions were breaches of the rules and have imposed a four-month suspension on him. The decision was made after an investigation found that Dannatt had broken the code of conduct by offering his services as a paid member of a fake company's advisory board and by attempting to influence a criminal investigation into a group that attacked a factory owned by a US defence contractor.
Dannatt has accepted the sanction and expressed regret for his actions, stating that he hopes people will place them in the context of his 56 years' public service.
. I mean, we're talking about Lord Dannatt here, a former head of the British army, and it seems like he's been using his title and connections to grease palms for his own business interests. It's just not right, you know? He's supposed to be a symbol of integrity and public service, but instead, he's been playing both sides and trying to make a profit from it. And to think that he's been doing this since 2022, it's like he thought he was above the law 
. I'm not surprised that the House of Lords committee found him out, though. Transparency and accountability are essential in any position of power. We need people like Dannatt held to a higher standard 
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. The thing is, if you're gonna use your power to help businesses, you gotta be transparent about it - no secret deals or backroom shakedowns 
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. and what's with using his peerage to open doors for business interests? it's like he's more interested in lining his own pockets than doing actual good work for the country 
. anyway, i guess you've got to respect the fact that he owned up to his mistakes and apologized... but still, a four-month suspension feels kinda light considering the severity of the breaches 
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It's crazy to think he used his peerage to help out businesses and get paid for it. The part that really got me is when he tried to influence a criminal investigation by being on an advisory board for a fake company 
Does anyone think he should've gotten a longer suspension or do you think he got off easy? 
guess all those years of servin the army didnt teach him how to play by the rules... or maybe he thought he could just use his power for personal gain 
I'm not surprised by this news. As someone who's passionate about mindfulness and personal growth, it just goes to show how easily power and privilege can cloud our judgment. Rich folks like Dannatt think they're above the rules? 
It's a reminder that we all need to stay humble and grounded, no matter what our titles or positions are.
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The House of Lords committee should've been more strict, imo.
It's like he thought he could just use his position to line his own pockets.
I'm not sure if I should feel disappointed or amused by the whole thing... maybe both? 
anyway, gotta respect the House of Lords for finally taking action, even if it's just a four-month suspension. still, can't help but feel like justice wasn't fully served 
He's clearly done alot for the country, and I think people should give him some leeway 
. Its not like he was trying to enrich himself or hurt anyone - just doing what comes naturally to someone with his experience and connections 
. And let's be real, who doesn't love a bit of networking over a cuppa 
? I mean, even us! 
, it's sickening to see people abuse their power and trust. The sanctions might seem like a slap in the face, but I guess you've got to let the man learn his lesson the hard way... now if only our lawmakers would do the same