The Chairman of the Council of King’s College London (KCL), Lord Geidt, has come under investigation by the House of Lords Commissioners for Standards, a watchdog, for actions that may have breached codes of conduct.
According to the Commissioners’ website, Lord Geidt is alleged to have provided “parliamentary advice or services” which could be in breach of “paragraph 8(d) of the House of Lords Code of Conduct”. Though no further details into the allegations themselves have been provided, the Standards Commissioner’s role is to investigate any breaches of the code which covers improper conduct or conflict of interest.
The paragraph in question prohibits members of the House of Lords from seeking to “profit from membership of the House by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
Lord Geidt, who has been Chair of KCL Council since 2016, is serving his third term as chairman after the Council reappointed him last year following an inspection of his record and ensuring no conflicts of interest. The Council is KCL’s governing body, tasked with ensuring the operational and financial stability of the university.
This is not the first time Lord Geidt has faced scrutiny over potential conflict of interest. In May 2021, KCL’s University and College Union (UCU) passed a motion of no confidence demanding Lord Geidt’s resignation as Chairman, after it was revealed he had worked for the arms manufacturer BAE Systems.
The KCL UCU stated at the time that Lord Geidt’s resignation was necessary due to accusations of BAE Systems being party to “war crimes” in Yemen, which stood at odds with the university’s ethical commitments to “serving society and making the world a better place.”
The UCU also raised concerns of potential conflict as Geidt was adviser to BAE Systems at a time when KCL had investments in the arms company through an intermediary fund.
Roar reached out to the Commissioners’ office for further information on the allegations against Lord Geidt and was informed that Commissioners “don’t comment on live investigations”. A full report is set to be published once the investigation is over. Roar has also approached KCL UCU for comment on the current investigation.
To read more about Lord Geidt and keep up to date with the ongoing investigation, click here.
