Two veteran members of the House of Lords have been suspended after a parliamentary watchdog found they violated lobbying rules according to reports.
Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British Army, received a four-month suspension after he was secretly filmed offering to arrange meetings with ministers for what he believed was a potential commercial client.
He told undercover reporters he could facilitate introductions and would “make a point of getting to know” the most influential politicians.
Subsequent reporting uncovered three additional instances in which he provided parliamentary services in return for payment, including corresponding with ministers and attending meetings with senior officials.
In a separate case, Labour peer David Evans (Lord Evans of Watford) was suspended for five months.
Undercover footage showed him offering access to ministers while discussing a commercial deal worth tens of thousands of pounds. He also offered to introduce the reporters posing as property developers seeking to influence government to other parliamentarians.
The Lords conduct committee concluded that, although no payments had been made, Evans demonstrated a clear willingness to engage in activity that would have amounted to paid parliamentary services, breaching the obligation for peers to act on their personal honour.
Neither Dannatt nor Evans contested the sanctions imposed.
