Russia-linked peer takes leave of absence

LABOUR ex-Attorney General Lord Goldsmith has taken a ‘leave of absence’ from the House of Lords – which means he will not have to declare how much he is paid by foreign clients, including the Russian government, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Lord (Peter) Goldsmith took the leave of absence at the end of December, when the Lords introduced new transparency laws requiring peers on foreign payrolls to declare how much they are paid.

The Labour peer, who served as Tony Blair’s Attorney General until 2007, has ‘personally provided’ services to the Russian Federation as a partner of law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, according to the Register of Lords’ Interests.

Controversial leave of absence rules allow peers to take openended breaks while keeping their titles, use Lords facilities and even use Lords stationery. They cannot vote or speak and do not have to register their outside interests.

Other peers on a leave of absence include Lord (Greg) Barker, the former Tory Energy Minister who in 2019 took leave to become chairman of En+, the Russian energy giant in which Oleg Deripaska then had a controlling stake.

Last night, MPs and peers demanded the House of Lords stop allowing peers a leave of absence to focus on their outside interests.

Lord Mann said: ‘It is nonsense. This is clearly a loophole in that you can entertain, use the facilities and headed paper without declaring any interest. It is very much a gentleman’s club arrangement. If you take a year or more off, then don’t also have access to facilities.’

Bob Seely, the Conservative MP who sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee, also called for the system to be scrapped: ‘If you want to quit, you quit. It is absolutely staggering that you could keep almost all of the perks while simply not having to declare [interests].’

Lord Goldsmith opposed the introduction of the tighter transparency rules.

Asked why he did not choose to resign from the Lords instead, he said last night: ‘I am sorry to have to take leave of absence, but felt it was the only option open to me given the choice between that or revealing privileged and confidential information.’

A Lords spokesman said: ‘Taking leave of absence is an appropriate way for Members who cannot play an active part in the House due to other commitments.’

Liam Byrne, the Labour MP who sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee, said: ‘We have to move quickly to drain the House of Lords of Russian influence and money.’