UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Lord Evans of Watford and Lord Richard Dannatt face five- and four-month suspensions after undercover footage showed them offering ministerial access.
As reported by the Guardian, a parliamentary watchdog has found two long-serving peers guilty of violating lobbying rules, leading to their suspension from the House of Lords.
Who was involved in the lobbying scandal inside the House of Lords?
Richard Dannatt, ex-head of the British Army, and David Evans (Lord Evans of Watford) were filmed violating lobbying rules in undercover footage.
Lord Dannatt will face a four-month suspension after allegedly offering access to ministers for a commercial client seeking to influence the government.
Undercover footage showed he claimed he could arrange meetings with ministers and would “make a point of getting to know” the most senior politicians.
After the footage emerged, reports revealed three further instances where he offered parliamentary services in exchange for payment. The cases included communication with ministers and officials, with two instances involving meetings with a minister or senior official.
Lord Evans, a Labour peer set for a five-month suspension. He was filmed offering access to ministers during talks over a commercial deal valued at tens of thousands of pounds.
The video shows the peer offering to arrange introductions between undercover reporters, pretending to be property developers, and other parliamentarians.
The Lords’ conduct committee found that, even without any payment, he had shown
“clear willingness to undertake activity that would have amounted to paid parliamentary services.”
He violated the requirement that House of Lords members conduct themselves with personal honour at all times.
How many peers were suspended for violating the House of Lords rules?
Lord Kulveer Ranger was removed for three weeks in 2024 after a drunken misconduct incident involving bullying and harassment.
Lord Maginnis was removed for 18 months in 2020 for bullying staff.
Baroness D’Souza, ex-Speaker of the House of Lords, was suspended for eight weeks in October. She contacted the Metropolitan Police over speeding fines using official stationery.
Lady D’Souza wrote to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley on February 23, 2025.
She said,
“I do realise that you have much other business to deal with and I apologise for bothering your office with such a trivial matter.”
The former speaker added,
“That said, I fear I may have to relinquish my licence due to recent speeding offences of between 21 and 27 miles in a 20-mile restricted area. I have, or will have, paid £400 and will end up with 12 points on my driving licence.”
Lady D’Souza continued,
“If this means losing my right to drive, I will have to give up attending Parliament, since I live deep in the countryside with no local bus services and unsuitable train schedules.”
The parliamentary committee’s report said,
“She could have followed due process, attending court and explaining to the magistrate how a lengthy ban would impede her parliamentary work. Instead, she sought to bypass this by writing, as a member of the House, directly to the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.”
Members of the House of Lords must follow a Code of Conduct that requires them to act with personal honour, uphold specific ethical standards, and comply with rules on financial interests and criminal conduct.
