Two senior peers in the House of Lords face disciplinary action after a parliamentary watchdog found them guilty of breaching lobbying rules.
Lord Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British army, will be suspended for four months after it was discovered that he offered to secure meetings with ministers on behalf of a commercial client. The undercover footage, obtained by the Guardian, showed him telling reporters that he could "make introductions" to ministers and would "make a point of getting to know" key politicians.
Dannatt has denied any wrongdoing initially but later admitted that his actions had breached the code of conduct and expressed remorse for damaging his reputation. He argued that he was acting in the national interest, but the watchdog found him guilty of exploiting his status as a parliamentarian to lobby ministers on behalf of commercial interests in improper interactions over two years.
Lord David Evans, a Labour peer since 1998, will be suspended for five months after being found to have breached lobbying rules. The investigation found that he had offered to introduce undercover reporters to fellow parliamentarians, who were posing as property developers seeking to lobby the government. Evans was also accused of charging excessive fees for hosting events and breaching the rules by advertising them without parliamentary consent.
The two peers' actions are the latest in a series of disciplinary actions taken against members of the House of Lords following reports by the Guardian on peer conduct. The watchdog has warned that breaches of the code of conduct can erode public trust in parliamentarians, and both Dannatt and Evans have been left to wonder how their careers will be impacted by these findings.
Lord Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British army, will be suspended for four months after it was discovered that he offered to secure meetings with ministers on behalf of a commercial client. The undercover footage, obtained by the Guardian, showed him telling reporters that he could "make introductions" to ministers and would "make a point of getting to know" key politicians.
Dannatt has denied any wrongdoing initially but later admitted that his actions had breached the code of conduct and expressed remorse for damaging his reputation. He argued that he was acting in the national interest, but the watchdog found him guilty of exploiting his status as a parliamentarian to lobby ministers on behalf of commercial interests in improper interactions over two years.
Lord David Evans, a Labour peer since 1998, will be suspended for five months after being found to have breached lobbying rules. The investigation found that he had offered to introduce undercover reporters to fellow parliamentarians, who were posing as property developers seeking to lobby the government. Evans was also accused of charging excessive fees for hosting events and breaching the rules by advertising them without parliamentary consent.
The two peers' actions are the latest in a series of disciplinary actions taken against members of the House of Lords following reports by the Guardian on peer conduct. The watchdog has warned that breaches of the code of conduct can erode public trust in parliamentarians, and both Dannatt and Evans have been left to wonder how their careers will be impacted by these findings.
They're cracking down on members who break the rules and it's about time 
. I mean, Lord Dannatt thought he was above the law just because he's a former head of the army 
, but turns out his actions were super uncool 
. And Lord Evans? Not off the hook either 
. These guys are gonna have to face the music and figure out how to rebuild their reputations 
.
. But at the same time, we can't let them get away with exploiting their power for personal gain 
. The watchdog is doing its job and holding people accountable 
.
.
. It's like they thought they were above the rules just 'cause they're high up in the House of Lords 
. And Evans charging excessive fees? that's just greed plain and simple 
.
. It's not like they're the only ones who've breached the rules or anything... there are bound to be others 
. Anyway, it's gonna be interesting to see how this plays out and what kind of impact it has on their careers 
.
that's just not how it works. and the watchdog's all like breaching the code of conduct can erode public trust in parliamentarians which i guess is true but like... what did they expect? they're politicians lol 
another pair of lords getting caught out for exploiting their power & influence for personal gain... its like they forget thats not what we elect them for 
Dannatt was supposed to be a role model after being head of the army but turns out he's just as bad as the rest of us 
trying to make connections for a commercial client? That's some serious cronyism right there 
. But still, it's sad that we're even having this conversation in 2025 
. Can't we just trust our elected reps to do their jobs already? 
... it's like they thought they were above the law and that was a huge mistake 
. I mean, we've all been in situations where we might think we're doing something right, but then we realize we've messed up 
. It takes a lot of guts to admit when we're wrong and show remorse, so kudos to them for owning up to their mistakes 
. But at the same time, it's gotta be tough to see your reputation like that... I hope they can bounce back from this and come out even stronger 
... we need people who are gonna represent us honestly and with integrity 
. Now, let's see how their careers recover from these public scandals! 
we need more transparency and accountability from our lords and MPs 
I'm kinda surprised about this... like, I get it, lobbying is a thing, but using your influence for personal gain seems pretty dodgy? 
. let's hope this sends a clear message to others in parliament to stay away from those kinds of temptations 
. Maybe they'll think twice before breaking the rules again... but probably won't