Lords chief whip spoke at what appears to be cash-for-access event | House of Lords

The Lords chief whip, Roy Kennedy, took part in one of the events at the centre of an apparent cash-for-access venture revealed by the Guardian.

Lord David Evans of Watford, a Labour peer, was on Tuesday exposed in an undercover investigation as offering access to ministers, during discussions about the sponsorship of a networking event organised in the House of Lords by his son, a deal worth £25,000.

Newsportu can now reveal Lord Kennedy spoke at a similar event for the construction industry held in a banqueting room in the House of Lords last year. The event, in November 2024, was hosted by Lord Evans and similarly organised by his son, Richard Evans. More than 70 guests attended the event, some of whom had paid more than £600 for access.

The revelation raises questions about the judgment of the second most senior minister in the upper chamber. As chief whip, Kennedy is responsible for party discipline.

Newsportu can also reveal Sharon Taylor, a housing minister, was announced two weeks ago by Richard Evans as the keynote speaker at another House of Lords event concerning UK housing and infrastructure, scheduled for June. Access to attend the event is available for more than £320.

The online announcement appeared alongside an appeal from Richard to sponsor the event, for up to £25,000.

But Lady Taylor told the Guardian after she was approached for comment: “I would like to make it clear that I have declined this invitation and will not be attending in any capacity.”

The minister’s apparent willingness to speak at the event, alongside Kennedy’s involvement, is particularly embarrassing for the government, given Lord Evans’ comment to undercover reporters: “It’s great being a Labour peer at the moment because we’ve got our mates who now have senior jobs, which is wonderful.”

The undercover reporters had posed as property developers interested in sponsoring a House of Lords event, organised by Richard. They said they wanted to have their voice heard in government.

The latest revelation may lead to a wider debate around the culture and rules that govern parliamentarians hosting private events in Westminster.

The construction events are run through Richard’s company, in which Lord Evans is a one-third shareholder. Lord Evans said: “I would NOT and I do NOT accept payments for hosting any House of Lords events.” He said he had forgotten he had a share in the company.

There is no suggestion that any other peers attending the events were aware of their commercial nature.

‘To get the chief whip though, like, last minute’

It was a quiet Friday in November in the Lords when Kennedy spoke. The day’s business, a debate on the Grenfell Tower inquiry report, concluded shortly after 12.30pm. Downstairs, on the terrace overlooking the Thames, Lord Evans’ guests mingled in the Cholmondeley Room for the construction industry event.

As they sat for lunch, Lord Evans welcomed them, and said he had “another friend” to introduce. Kennedy stepped on to the stage.

Kennedy told the guests, many of whom worked in construction, that he had been housing spokesperson before the last election. He explained how his role as chief whip limited his opportunities to speak, so he was pleased “to be able to come down and say hello to a few people”.

Speaking in front of a banner for one of the event’s sponsors, he added: “Housing is a passion of mine and ensuring we build sustainable housing for the future is really, really important. I also want to wish you a really, really interesting afternoon and have a lovely lunch. I know it’s a very cold day but it’s also a beautiful day and what a fabulous setting here, here in the House of Lords.”

He concluded by saying he had to leave for meetings to discuss the upcoming business of the house, but hoped to return later. He did not come back.

In a later conversation with an undercover reporter, posing as an adviser interested in sponsoring a similar event, Richard bragged about Kennedy’s attendance and suggested he could be persuaded to attend again.

“We can go for Roy Kennedy again … He was asked like, last minute, to come along. But to get, to get the chief whip though, like last minute,” he said, with a snap and click of his fingers, “like, just to come in and say.”

Richard was asked how he got Kennedy to attend. “We’ve been members of the Labour party for 40, 50 years,” Richard replied.

A spokesperson for Kennedy said he “responded to a request at short notice from a fellow Labour peer to give a welcome to attenders at an event in the House of Lords. He was in the room for a few minutes, spoke briefly then promptly left.”

‘Better than Keir Starmer, to be honest’

Ministers’ attendance form a part of the promotional materials for the events shared by Richard on LinkedIn.

When Richard was working to secure a sponsorship deal from the undercover reporter, he referenced the attendance of ministers at previous events.

He said that getting a particular minister for a previous event had been “unbelievable. That’s a major coup.” He added: “Better than Keir Starmer, to be honest.”

Richard said parliamentarians, not only ministers, would be invited to attend events hosted by his father.

During the course of the discussions with the fake developers, Richard said his father had lined up Richard Harrington, a peer and former Tory refugees minister in the housing department.

Lord Harrington was going to speak at an event in the Lords to be held in March, which the undercover reporters had expressed an interest in sponsoring. Access for the event, through purchase of an Affinity membership, was on sale from £299.

But after the Guardian contacted him for comment, he pulled out. Harrington said: “I was personally asked by Lord Evans to speak at an event on foreign direct investment.”

He added: “Given the information that has been presented, I will no longer be attending this event.”

Lord Evans told the Guardian he was not involved in cash for access. He said he was “NOT involved in the commercial side of the event and only interested in the political objective of building more social housing”.

He said he had never taken any money for hosting events in parliament.

Richard told the Guardian the Affinity events in parliament were “educative”, with 90% of attenders on gifted places.

He said the £25,000 sponsorship deals “extends beyond covering the cost of event delivery – it includes ongoing marketing support for our sponsors”.

He added: “Ministers are invited to speak briefly (typically six to 10 minutes) to update guests on a latest government news at these educational events, before returning to their busy schedules.”

Harrington is no longer referenced on the marketing for the Lords event in March. Shortly after the Guardian contacted Taylor, her attendance at the June event as the keynote speaker was also removed from promotional material.