Senior Tory MP criticises Boris Johnson over Lebedev peerage

A senior Tory MP has said he "can't believe" Boris Johnson made Russian-born media mogul Evgeny Lebedev a lord.

Sir Bernard Jenkin made the comments behind closed doors in February, as he called for tougher scrutiny of who MPs accept donations and hospitality from.

They have come to light now as the transcript of the select committee hearing has been published.

The PM is reported to have been advised against awarding Mr Lebedev a seat in the House of Lords on security grounds.

Lord Lebedev, who has dual Russian and British nationality, is the son of a former KGB spy, but has denied posing a security risk the UK.

He is not a Conservative donor but senior politicians, including Mr Johnson, have enjoyed his hospitality at parties and other events.

Mr Johnson, who was backed by Lord Lebedev's Evening Standard newspaper when he was London mayor, nominated his friend for a peerage in 2020 for philanthropy and services to the media.

Last week, the Sunday Times reported that, in March of that year, the House of Lords Appointments Commission - which vets peerage nominations - had advised Mr Johnson against the move.

The newspaper claimed the committee's assessment had been changed after Mr Johnson personally intervened, something firmly denied by the prime minister.

Another source has confirmed to the BBC that concerns were raised by security services, and the PM's former adviser Dominic Cummings blogged on Wednesday that he had been present when the prime minister was told of these concerns.

In response to a letter from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who is calling for an investigation into how Lebedev got a seat in the UK Parliament, the commission said it could not release its advice to the prime minister on grounds of confidentiality.

Lord Lebedev, the son of Russian banker and ex-KGB officer Alexander Lebedev, who moved to the UK as a child, has said he is "not some agent of Russia" and has condemned President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Sir Bernard made his comment about Lord Lebedev's peerage on 8 February this year, as the Commons standards committee grilled Parliament's Director of Security, Alison Giles, in a session held behind closed doors. A redacted transcript of the session has now been released.

The committee, of which Sir Bernard is a prominent member, is investigating All Party Parliamentary Group (APPGs), informal committees of MPs and peers which have been accused of being fronts for lobbyists.

The MP, a leading Brexiteer and supporter of Mr Johnson, broadened the discussion out to call for financial donations to MPs to be more tightly regulated and transparent.

And in comments that have been echoed by other senior Tories over the past week, as the government moved to impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs, he said the Conservatives, and other parties, should do more checks on the people donating money to them.

He then added, in an aside, that the prime minister "gave a peerage to Lebedev - I can't believe it".

A government spokesperson said: "All individuals nominated for a peerage are done so in recognition of their contribution to society and all peerages are vetted by the House of Lords Appointments Commission."