Labour Peer Spoke at Event Organised by Lord Evans’ Son Amid Sponsorship Controversy

Roy Kennedy, the Lords chief whip, participated in an event at the heart of an alleged cash-for-access scheme recently exposed by an undercover investigation.

Labour peer Lord David Evans of Watford was revealed to have offered access to ministers in discussions about sponsorship deals worth £25,000 for networking events held in the House of Lords. His son, Richard Evans, was responsible for organising these events.

It has now emerged that Kennedy spoke at a similar gathering for the construction sector in November 2024, hosted by Lord Evans and attended by over 70 guests—some of whom had paid upwards of £600 for access. This revelation raises concerns over Kennedy’s judgement, given his senior role in maintaining party discipline in the Lords.

Further scrutiny has also fallen on Housing Minister Sharon Taylor, who was announced as a keynote speaker for another House of Lords event in June, focused on housing and infrastructure. Access to that event was available for more than £320. However, after being contacted for comment, Taylor stated she had declined the invitation and would not be attending.

The controversy deepened after undercover reporters, posing as property developers, sought sponsorship details for the events. Lord Evans was recorded stating that being a Labour peer was advantageous due to connections with senior government figures.

Richard Evans, who runs the company organising these events—with Lord Evans holding a one-third stake—was heard boasting about Kennedy’s last-minute attendance. In conversation with an undercover reporter, he suggested Kennedy could be persuaded to attend future events in a similar manner.

Kennedy’s spokesperson later clarified that he had responded to a last-minute request from a Labour colleague, delivered a brief welcome speech, and left promptly.

As part of his sponsorship discussions, Richard Evans also highlighted past ministerial attendance at events, describing one minister’s participation as a “major coup” and claiming it was “better than Keir Starmer.” He also indicated that additional parliamentarians, including Conservative peer Lord Richard Harrington, had been lined up for future events.

After being approached for comment, Harrington withdrew from an upcoming March event, stating that he had initially agreed to speak on foreign direct investment but would no longer take part following the revelations.

Lord Evans has denied involvement in any cash-for-access arrangement, insisting he was focused solely on promoting social housing policies. He also stated that he had never personally received payment for hosting parliamentary events.

Richard Evans defended the events, calling them educational, with the majority of attendees receiving complimentary places. He stated that the £25,000 sponsorship packages extended beyond event costs, covering additional marketing support for sponsors.

Following media inquiries, references to both Harrington and Taylor were removed from promotional materials for their respective events. The revelations are likely to prompt further debate about the ethical rules surrounding private events hosted in Westminster.