Articles by Jonathan Bunn

World

Two House of Lords peers face suspension after breaking lobbying rules

Two prominent members of the House of Lords are facing suspension after being found in breach of parliamentary conduct rules related to potential financial gain. Separate inquiries concluded that Lord Dannatt, a former head of the British army, and Lord Evans of Watford violated regulations prohibiting the provision of parliamentary services for "payment or reward". The independent Commissioner for Standards’ findings and recommendations were subsequently upheld by the Lords Conduct Committee. This led to Lord Dannatt receiving a four-month suspension, while Lord Evans faces a five-month exclusion from the chamber. Neither peer challenged the Commissioner’s conclusions or the proposed sanctions. Both suspensions are pending agreement by the House of Commons before they officially take effect. 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.”

Politics

Burnham refuses to rule out challenging for Labour leadership

Andy Burnham has refused to rule out challenging Sir Keir Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party. Facing repeated questions on the issue, the mayor of Greater Manchester repeatedly deflected and said he was not in a position to rule out a move against the Prime Minister. On BBC Breakfast he appeared frustrated at being pressed on his leadership ambitions, suggesting this type of question could be part of the problem with the culture in Westminster. Asked whether he would rule out a challenge to Sir Keir, he said: “I am not going to sit here this morning and rule out what might or might not happen because I don’t know what the future will hold.” When pressed again on a potential leadership challenge, Mr Burnham said: “I am not in a position this morning to do that. “The questions you are always asked on these things – how do you answer them? He added: “All I can do is be here, present in the here and now, and do my job for Greater Manchester. “The country is crying out for a plan for growth that benefits people, reduces the cost of living. “We have got more functional in Greater Manchester as the country has got more dysfunctional, and maybe it is that Westminster politics is the problem, and the type of questions you have been putting at me.” Mr Burnham has also said he “appreciates the support” of Labour MP Clive Lewis, who said he would be willing to give up his parliamentary seat to allow him to mount a leadership challenge. Asked about it on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Burnham said: “I appreciate the support, but I couldn’t have brought forward a plan of the kind that I brought forward today without being fully focused on my role of mayor of Greater Manchester. “I’m providing leadership on growth, which is what I think the country needs and is helpful to the Government right now, and we’re doing this in advance of the Budget. “I hope to really bring to life the growth story for the Government. “I would just finish by saying this, what I think part of the country’s problem is, the political culture of Westminster, which is playing out in front of us right now. “In Greater Manchester, we’ve built a new economy and a new way of doing politics and more of that is what the country needs.” Mr Burnham has been touted as a possible successor to the Prime Minister, but would need to return to the Commons to launch a bid for the top job. The former New Labour minister and ex-MP for Leigh dropped repeated hints he was eyeing a Westminster comeback ahead of Labour’s September conference. Last week’s extraordinary Labour briefing war over alleged manoeuvring by Cabinet ministers focused fresh attention on Sir Keir’s position. On Wednesday, backbencher Mr Lewis indicated he could vacate his Norwich South seat for Mr Burnham. Government minister Josh MacAlister dismissed Mr Lewis’s offer. He told LBC Radio: “The Labour Party is a broad church. It’s not going to surprise anybody to know that Clive is critical of the party’s leadership.” He added that Mr Lewis’s Norwich South seat is “a long way away from Manchester”. Mr MacAlister said: “The Prime Minister has only recently become Prime Minister, he is the leader of our party, he secured a historic victory.” He suggested Sir Keir is focused on getting the UK out of the economic “doom loop” it has been in for years.