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Russian-born newspaper mogul Evgeny Lebedev has said he supports Labour’s call for information on the decision to give him a peerage to be made public as he has “nothing to hide”.
Boris Johnson has denied that advice was overruled to award the Russian businessman and owner of the Independent and Evening Standard newspapers a seat in the House of Lords in 2020.
But the prime minister’s former senior aide Dominic Cummings has alleged he was “in the room” when Mr Johnson was informed of security concerns regarding Mr Lebedev’s perspective appointment.
Live updates on the war in Ukraine as Russia hints at major climbdown
Mr Cummings said intelligence officials told the PM they had “serious reservations” about the proposed move.
Labour call for advice and documents to be released
Labour has repeatedly pressed the government on the decision to award Lord Lebedev, the son of a former KGB agent, a seat in the House of Lords – particularly in the wake of outbreak of war in Ukraine.
Original reports in The Sunday Times newspaper suggested the PM was advised by the House of Lords Appointment Commission, which vets appointments to the House of Lords, which later changed its advice.
In a letter released earlier this month, the Commission confirmed it vetted Lord Lebedev’s appointment and advised the PM on the matter, but declined to comment further.
Labour is now using parliamentary procedures to try to force publication of the advice issued to and from the PM’s private office and the Cabinet Office to the House of Lords Appointment Commission about Lord Lebedev’s peerage.
Lord Lebedev has insisted he is not a “security risk” to the UK.
‘Openness and transparency are pillars of our democratic system’
Posting on social media ahead of the debate regarding his peerage, Lord Lebedev said in the interest of “openness and…
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Source : skynews
