Government will consider public interest in releasing Lebedev advice

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The Government will need to consider whether the release of information surrounding the ennobling of Evgeny Lebedev is in the public interest, Downing Street has said.

MPs voted earlier this week to approve a Labour motion to force the Government to release documents about Boris Johnson’s involvement in the appointment of the media mogul to the house of Lords, following concerns about security advice.

The Russian-born businessman insisted he had “nothing to hide” amid the row, in which Labour called on Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay to release all relevant information provided to the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) by the Cabinet Office or the Prime Minister’s office by no later than April 28.

Evgeny Lebedev and Boris Johnson attend a pre-lunch reception for the Evening Standard Theatre Awards at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, in 2009 (Ian West/PA) (PA Wire)

Lord Lebedev, who owns the Independent and Evening Standard newspapers, joined the House of Lords in November 2020 and has been described as a friend of Mr Johnson.

But questions have been raised over whether or not the Prime Minister asked anyone in the security services to revise, reconsider or withdraw their assessment of Lord Lebedev ahead of his appointment.

The independent crossbench peer has previously acknowledged his father, oligarch Alexander Lebedev, was “a long time ago” a KGB officer but denied being “a security risk to this country”.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman was asked on Thursday how the information would be released, following backing in the Commons.

He said: “So I think as (Cabinet Office minister) Michael Ellis said on this motion, we need to obviously consider the responsibility of ministers not to release information where disclosure would not be in the public interest, and obviously weigh it up against the need for transparency and openness.

“So we are considering that motion and we’ll respond in due course.”

Asked whose responsibility it was to decide if it would be in the public interest, the spokesman said: “I believe it rests with the Government.”

Mr Ellis said disclosing the information requested by Labour would “undermine the very role” of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.