What prompted Lord Chadlington’s departure?
Lord Chadlington, also known as Peter Gummer, will leave the House of Lords after an investigation found he committed five breaches of standards over Covid PPE deals. The investigation was conducted by the Lords standards commissioner, Martin Jelley, and revealed serious misconduct regarding PPE contracts awarded to his company, SG Recruitment.
In April 2020, Chadlington introduced SG Recruitment to the government as a potential supplier of PPE. Within weeks, the company was awarded £50 million in contracts through the government’s ‘VIP lane’. However, the Department of Health and Social Care later rejected the PPE supplied under the first contract as ‘unusable’, raising significant concerns about the procurement process.
Details of the investigation
The investigation found that Chadlington committed three breaches of the code governing peers’ conduct and two additional breaches for failing to cooperate with previous inquiries. A 12-month suspension was recommended and upheld after Chadlington appealed.
SG Recruitment went into liquidation in December 2023, owing £1.1 million in taxes to HMRC. This financial fallout has drawn further scrutiny on Chadlington’s actions during the pandemic.
Reactions to the findings
Chadlington stated, “I wholly reject the findings of this appeal and of the commissioner,” but ultimately announced his decision to retire from the House of Lords and quit the Conservative party, saying, “the time is right for me to retire and resign my membership of the Conservative party.” His departure follows complaints from the Covid Bereaved Families for Justice group, which welcomed the decision, asserting it vindicates their complaint and holds accountable those who abused their positions during the pandemic.
Lord Foulkes commented on the situation, stating, “It is unfortunate that Lord Chadlington failed to cooperate with the previous commissioner’s investigations and therefore this has dragged on for so long before the truth has come out.” This reflects the ongoing concerns about transparency and accountability in government dealings during the crisis.
What lies ahead?
Chadlington was previously cleared by investigations in 2022 and 2023, but the recent findings have significantly altered his standing. As he prepares to leave the House of Lords, the implications of this investigation may continue to resonate within political circles, particularly regarding the handling of PPE contracts during the pandemic. Details remain unconfirmed about any further actions that may be taken against him or the company involved.