Watchdog investigates Lord Dannatt after Guardian revelations

The House of Lords watchdog has started an official investigation into revelations that a peer offered to secure meetings with ministers for a potential commercial client who wanted to lobby the government.

- Henry Dyer Rob Evans

The investigation into Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British army, was announced yesterday. He is the second peer now facing a conduct inquiry after revelations in a months-long investigation by the Guardian into the commercial interests of members of parliament's second chamber.

Lord Dannatt was secretly filmed telling undercover reporters he could make introductions within the government and that he would "make a point of getting to know" the best-placed minister, in spite of rules prohibiting peers from lobbying.

He added he could easily "rub shoulders" with the right people in the Lords if he needed to approach a minister in order to promote the potential client.

He also said he had previously introduced a company, in which he was given a shareholding, to a minister and civil servants.