The Labour peer Lord Alli has been found to have violated his register of interests four times.

It was suggested by a House of Lords standards investigation commissioner that Lord Alli write an apology letter for the violations.

“While I consider each individual breach of the Code to be minor, I have found there to be four breaches in total, and have therefore recommended that Lord Alli write a letter of apology to the Chair of the Conduct Committee, Baroness Manningham-Buller,” the report said.

Writing to the committee chair, Lord Alli said: “I am writing to you today to offer my apology for my breach of conduct by not registering my interests correctly.

“I will endeavour to keep to the code of conduct at all times to avoid such circumstances again.”

The breaches relate to Lord Alli failing to register interests in two organisations properly, and to registering interests in one too late.

The first complaint received by the commissioner was from a member of the public, Alison Wright, on Sept 18. 

She alleged that Lord Alli had failed to register his interests as an unremunerated director of The Charlie Parsons Foundation and as a “person with significant control” of Silvergate BP Bidco Limited.

The foundation was set up by the peer and others in 2011 to invest in small companies.

Lord Alli said he had registered his interest in the foundation because he had registered his trusteeship of the charity.

Breach of conduct

“I find that Lord Alli should have included in his entry on the Register of Lords’ Interests his position as an unremunerated director of The Charlie Parsons Foundation, as well as his trusteeship,” the commissioner said.

“By not doing so he was in breach of paragraphs 14(a) and 17 of the Code of Conduct.”

Mr Jelley also found that the peer should have registered his interest in Silvegate BP Bidco Ltd as he was a “person with significant control”.

“Similarly, I find that he should have maintained his registration in category 4(a) of his shareholding amounting to a controlling interest,” he said.

“By removing these register entries prematurely Lord Alli breached paragraphs 14(a) and 17 of the Code of Conduct.”

The commissioner also received a complaint on Oct 3, 2024, from Martin Williams, a member of the public, for registering his interest as a director of MAC (BVI) Limited late.

He concluded: “I find that Lord Alli’s late registration of his interest as an unremunerated director of MAC (BVI) Limited breached paragraph 17 of the Code of Conduct.”

Lord Alli has since contacted the Registrar of Lords’ Interests and has corrected his entries on The Charlie Parsons Foundation and Silvergate BP Bidco Limited.

Lord Alli’s interest in MAC (BVI) Limited is now correctly registered and he acknowledged it was a late registration.