Lords rules and culture make it easy for peers to abuse privileged position

Unreformed system means peers can profit by taking outside roles based on insider knowledge and access Two peers suspended from House of Lords for breaking lobbying rulesRichard Dannatt, the former head of the British army; and David Evans (Lord Evans of Watford), a so-called high-level facilitator, have been found to have broken the House of Lords rules and are facing hefty suspensions as a result.The punishments follow official inquiries into their conduct after undercover investigations by the Guardian revealed how the two peers separately offered to make introductions to ministers for a potential commercial client. The conduct was ruled by a parliamentary watchdog to have been lobbying for personal profit – behaviour that breaks the fundamental principle that peers should always act solely for the public good. Continue reading...