Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has said it is “sheer nonsense” that security advice was overruled to award Lord Lebedev a peerage.
Standing in for the prime minister at PMQs on Wednesday, Mr Raab was repeatedly pressed by his shadow counterpart Angela Rayner on Boris Johnson’s decision to award the Russian-born businessman a seat in the House of Lords in 2020.
Raab quizzed about Lord Lebedev’s peerage
“The right honourable member was foreign secretary on 17 March 2020 when British intelligence reportedly warned against the granting of a peerage to the prime minister’s close friend and now Lord Lebedev of Hampton and Siberia,” Labour’s deputy leader told the Commons.
“Forty-eight hours later the prime minister visited Lebedev at his home in London; details of that meeting have never been released.
“In July 2020 Lebedev’s appointment as peer was announced. So can he tell the House what changed between the security warning and the appointment?”
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Ms Rayner added that ministers “cavort with Russian oligarchs in luxury villas while ignoring the security of the British people”.
Responding to Labour’s deputy leader, Mr Raab said that “all individuals nominated for a peerage are done so in recognition of what their contribution is to society”.
He continued: “And I should say, that includes those of Russian origin who contribute brilliantly to our nation, many of whom in this country are critics of the Putin regime.”
Lord Speaker calls for more ‘robust’ appointment process for peers
On Tuesday, the Lord Speaker called for a more “robust” appointment process for peers after the SNP urged authorities to revoke Lord Lebedev’s parliamentary pass.
In a letter responding to the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford’s request, Lord McFall said “there is a case for examination of the appointments process” to ensure that “new appointees are able to make a worthwhile contribution to the important work of the House”.
It comes after The Sunday Times claimed the head of MI6 was worried about Lord Lebedev and that the concerns were raised with the prime minister in 2020.
PM and ministers deny allegations
The prime minister has repeatedly denied he intervened to ensure Lord Lebedev was offered a peerage despite being warned the move could pose a security threat.
In the letter to the Lord Speaker, Mr Blackford said it is clear that Lord Lebedev is “not a fit and proper person to act as a legislator nor a lobbyist in this democracy”.
“There is growing and genuine public concern regarding the appointment, the position and the ongoing security status of Lord Lebedev of Hampton and Siberia,” the SNP’s Westminster leader wrote.
“It has been extensively reported that the prime minister learnt that the security services warned against granting Lord Lebedev a peerage on national security grounds.
“Despite this advice, it appears Boris Johnson forced through the appointment of his friend.”
He continued: “It is obvious that whilst these security concerns remain, Lord Lebedev is clearly not a fit and proper person to act as a legislator nor a lobbyist in this democracy. He should not therefore be in a position to maintain privileged access to the parliamentary estate.”
Lord Lebedev denies he is ‘some agent of Russia’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said the prime minister has “serious questions to answer” about the appointment, and has asked the House of Lords Appointment Commission to release the vetting advice they gave to Mr Johnson.
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has called for a full public inquiry into Mr Johnson’s decision.
Lord Lebedev, the son of billionaire Russian banker and former KGB officer Alexander Lebedev, was given his peerage in July 2020.
Writing in the Evening Standard newspaper – which he owns – Lord Lebedev said: “I am not some agent of Russia.”
Condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s invasion of Ukraine, he wrote: “I plead with you to stop Russians killing their Ukrainian brothers and sisters.”
Reports suggest PM went against security advice
The original report in The Sunday Times said that the commission that vets peerage appointments advised Mr Johnson in March 2020 against granting Lord Lebedev a seat in the House of Lords due to security concerns.
Mr Johnson is reported to have ignored the advice and granted the peerage anyway, but denies the allegation.
The UK government continues its crackdown on Russian oligarchs, announcing sanctions against a further 370 Russian and Belarusian individuals and entities on Tuesday.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, the UK has sanctioned more than 1,000 of Russia and Belarus’s most significant and high-value individuals, entities and subsidiaries.
The Foreign Office said the additions to the government’s sanctions list include Mr Putin’s “key political allies, regime spokespeople and Kremlin-backed disinformation agencies”.
It is understood the additions will bring the UK in line with restrictive measures already announced by the EU.