Evgeny Lebedev: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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In July 2020, he was nominated for a [[life peer]]age by prime minister Johnson in the [[2020 Political Honours]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Waterson |first=Jim |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jul/31/johnson-peerage-for-lebedev-crowns-mutually-beneficial-friendship |title=Johnson peerage for Lebedev crowns mutually beneficial friendship |date=31 July 2020 |access-date=29 August 2020 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> Lebedev has sat in the [[House of Lords]] as a crossbench life peer since 19 November 2020<ref name="lords"/> with the title ''Baron Lebedev, of [[Hampton, London|Hampton]] in the [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]] and of [[Siberia]] in the [[Russian Federation]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/3681133|title=Crown Office {{!}} The Gazette {{!}} Notice|date=23 November 2020|work=[[The London Gazette]]|access-date=24 November 2020}}</ref> Lebedev was supported at his House of Lords introduction ceremony by [[Kenneth Clarke|Lord Clarke of Nottingham]] and [[John Bird, Baron Bird|Lord Bird]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=18 December 2020|title= Quentin Letts: Timeless Gove keeps calm and carries on charming|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/quentin-letts-timeless-gove-keeps-calm-and-carries-on-charming-cxt3hz8pq|access-date=11 January 2021|work=The Times}}</ref> He made his maiden speech during the [[2021 State Opening of Parliament|Queen's speech debate]] on 12 May 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Queen's Speech Volume 812: debated on Wednesday 12 May 2021 |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2021-05-12/debates/CE8995D6-667A-4BE1-B065-03817AF8CD75/Queen%E2%80%99SSpeech#contribution-1E832302-888B-490C-A943-F468539189AE |website=[[Hansard]] |access-date=16 May 2021 |language=|date=12 May 2019 }}</ref>

''[[The Sunday Times]]'' reported that security services were uneasy over Lebedev from 2013 and Lebedev's father was a KGB agent.<ref name="Times MI6">{{cite news |last1=Urwin |first1=Harry Yorke, Gabriel Pogrund and Rosamund |title=How Boris Johnson's friendship with Evgeny Lebedev deepened despite MI6 concerns |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-boris-johnsons-friendship-with-evgeny-lebedev-deepened-despite-mi6-concerns-56bl5hklb |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=The Sunday Times |language=en}}</ref> SNP leader [[Ian Blackford]] wanted Lebedev's parliamentary pass revoked due to these concerns.<ref name="Lord Speaker">[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/mar/15/lord-speaker-urges-ministers-to-tighten-system-for-vetting-peers Lord Speaker urges tougher vetting amid concerns over Evgeny Lebedev] ''[[The Guardian]]''. 15 March 2022</ref> House of Lords speaker [[Lord McFall]] said the procedure for vetting new peers should be tightened up.<ref name="Lord Speaker"/> ''[[The Guardian]]'' wrote, "Johnson has been accused of brushing off security concerns about Lebedev, whichwith whom he has a close relationship, attending parties at his Italian castle, including when he was foreign secretary."<ref name="Lord Speaker"/> Lebedev has stated that he is not a security risk and is "proud to be a British citizen and consider Britain my home". He said his father "spent his time campaigning against corruption and illegal financial dealings" and his family "has a record of standing up for press freedom" in Russia.<ref name="Lebedev1"/>

''The Guardian'' described Lebedev as "a surprise name among the 36 life peerage nominations which have led to accusations of 'cronyism' against the prime minister".<ref name="guardianpeer">{{cite news |author=Simon Murphy and Jim Waterson|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/31/evgeny-lebedev-jo-johnson-and-ian-botham-among-36-peerage-nominations-boris |title=Evgeny Lebedev, Jo Johnson and Ian Botham among 36 peerage nominations |date=31 July 2020 |access-date=31 July 2020 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> [[Mark Galeotti]] wrote that the move indicated Johnson's eagerness "to show contempt for [[British intelligence agencies|Britain's intelligence agencies]]."<ref name="MTgaleotti">{{cite news |last=Galeotti |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Galeotti |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/08/03/lebedevs-peerage-highlights-londons-need-to-address-russian-influence-a71041 |title=Lebedev's Peerage Highlights London's Need to Address Russian Influence |date=4 August 2020 |access-date=4 August 2020 |work=[[The Moscow Times]]}}</ref> [[Dominic Cummings]] said that Boris Johnson was warned of security concerns.<ref name="Cummings">{{cite news |title=Boris Johnson was warned of Lebedev security concerns, says Cummings |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60765665 |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=BBC News |date=16 March 2022}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote in 2022, "nobody is a better example of the cozycosy ties between Russians and the [British] establishment than Mr. Lebedev."<ref name=":0" />

As of March 2022, Lebedev had spoken only once in the Lords. After this was reported, he asked two parliamentary questions.<ref name="Lord Speaker"/>