Lobbying Claims: Peers Deny Breaking Rules

One of three peers accused of offering to carry out parliamentary work in return for cash in a newspaper sting has told Sky News he has not done anything wrong, and expects to be cleared.

Two Labour peers, Lord Mackenzie and Lord Cunningham, and Ulster Unionist Lord Laird were approached separately by journalists from the The Sunday Times, masquerading as lobbyists of a South Korean energy firm.

The paper published undercover footage which appeared to show them offering to lobby ministers or host functions at the House of Lords, despite rules forbidding them from seeking profit from their positions.

All three have denied any wrongdoing and have referred themselves to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards.

The Labour Party has suspended former senior police officer Lord Mackenzie and ex-Cabinet minister Lord Cunningham, and Lord Laird has resigned the Ulster Unionist whip, pending the outcome of an inquiry into the allegations against them.

The Sunday Times reported that Lord Mackenzie had explained how he had "devised a ruse" that allowed him to host events for paying clients, by asking colleagues to hold them for him.

But speaking on Sky News' Murnaghan programme the former chief superintendent of Durham Police, said he thought he was being asked to be a consultant for the sham company and had followed the Parliamentary Code of Conduct.

He said: "I'm convinced I haven’t done anything wrong. I understand the rules.

"It is quite clear what you are not allowed to do in the House of Lords, is work for a lobbying company, lobbying ministers to change legislation, putting down amendments for cash, asking questions for cash - that is clearly prohibited.

"What you are allowed to do is have an outside employment where you earn some remuneration, and of course that doesn't prohibit you from speaking on those topics, in fact, you could become an expert on them, providing of course it's registered and you declare the interest.

"That's the dividing line, and I understand that. What I was doing was being interviewed, so I thought, was for a job for a company that produced solar glazing, a very innovative product, and they were looking for a consultant to advise them on marketing and so on.

"What I wasn't doing was being interviewed as a lobbyist - that's clearly illegal."

Lord Laird also strongly denied allegations he broke rules over lobbying and has referred himself to the parliamentary watchdog.

Sky's Alistair Bunkall said: "The allegations against him are that he was offering, on behalf of a lobby company they were posing as members of, to be able to set up an All Parliamentary Group to represent their interests.

"And, also the suggestion that because he would be a paid advocate of theirs, he would ask his colleagues in the House of Lords to ask questions on his behalf."

Lord Laid said in a statement: "In recent days I have been the subject of a scam operated by journalists masquerading as communications consultants.

"This has led to allegations that I have broken the rules of the House of Lords.

"I wish to make it clear that I did not agree to act as a paid advocate in any proceedings of the House nor did I accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.

"I have not broken any rules. However, I have referred myself to the appropriate authorities and I will be making no further statement until I have received their ruling."

All three of the peers decided not to accept the offer that was put to them by the journalists.

A Labour spokesperson said: "Lord Cunningham and Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate have been suspended from the Labour Party pending further investigation.

"The Labour Party expects the highest standards of its representatives and believes that they have a duty to be transparent and accountable at all times."

The claims come after Conservative MP Patrick Mercer resigned the Tory whip on Friday because of allegations in The Daily Telegraph that he was taking money from lobbyists in order to ask questions on their behalf in Parliament.

He is alleged to have tabled Commons questions and offered a Westminster security pass after signing a deal with a lobbying firm that paid him £4,000 seeking the readmission of Fiji to the Commonwealth.

The MPs' code of conduct prohibits "paid advocacy" and requires the declaration of financial interests.

The latest controversies have reignited calls for the Government to press ahead with promised legislation both for a statutory register of lobbyists and the power for constituents to "recall" MPs who breach the rules.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening told Sky News’ Murnaghan programme that many MPs would be "deeply concerned" by the allegations.

"We really do need a cross-party approach to be able to tackle lobbying effectively," she said.

"But Parliament is also a place where many people, many different organisations, charities, come to lobby, and I think we've got to make sure that if we do bring forward some proposals they actually do tackle the problem.

"Within Parliament, there is an ability to identify what the rules are, look at due process to find out whether they have been broken.

"We also need to look at how we can go further than that and perhaps be better and clearer around what constitutes effective lobbying and when it goes beyond the right line," she added.