Pressure is building on the UK Government to dismiss an advisor due to conflicts of interest highlighted by campaigners.
The Good Law Project and Compassion in Politics have presented evidence to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, outlining controversial advisor Lord Walney’s commercial interests, which they argue pose a conflict of interest.
Lord Walney was appointed by Boris Johnson to the unpaid position of Independent Adviser on Political Violence and Disruption. Despite remaining in the role when Keir Starmer took office, reports suggest his position is now under review.
Lord Walney authored the ‘Protecting our Democracy from Coercion’ report, advocating for new restrictions on protests. However, the dossier reveals his commercial ties to organizations targeted by climate change and pro-Palestine protesters, groups his report aims to regulate.
In addition to his government role, Lord Walney serves as a paid advisor to Rud Pedersen Public Affairs, a lobbying firm representing fossil fuel companies. He also chairs the Purpose Business Coalition, operated by Crowne Associates, which has counted BP and Leonardo among its clients.
Hannah Greer, campaign manager for Good Law Project, emphasized the importance of democratic values, expressing concern over the erosion of protest rights in the UK. She called for urgent action to address the conflicts of interest compromising Lord Walney’s advisory role.
Jennifer Nadel, co-director of Compassion in Politics, stressed the significance of transparency and impartiality in political actions. She urged swift measures to address any breaches of standards, citing evidence of Lord Walney lobbying for protest restrictions while benefiting from firms supporting such measures.
The campaign groups have lodged a separate complaint with the House of Lords Commissioners for Standards regarding Lord Walney’s failure to disclose his chairmanship of the Purpose Defence Coalition, a related organization involving defense-related entities.
