John Woodcock says complaint against him as been dismissed

John Woodcock, who takes the title Lord Walney, said that he had been informed by the standards commissioner that a complaint alleging his outside interests breached House of Lords' code of conduct has been dismissed. 

He said that he was 'very pleased' with the outcome. 

Last week, Mr Woodcock said there is a 'concerted campaign' to remove him from his role as an advisor to the Government on political violence and disruption. 

I have today been informed by the House of Lords Standards Commissioner that he has dismissed the complaint made by Jolyon Maugham’s Good Law Project and the ‘Compassion in Politics’ group which alleged my outside interests breached the Lords’ code of conduct. Very pleased.

— Lord Walney (@LordWalney) October 24, 2024

The Good Law Project has written a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper demanding Lord Walney removed from his position, alleging that he is being paid by lobbying organisations whose clients include oil and gas companies and those selling weapons to Israel. 

Lord Walney has been critical of climate crisis groups and Palestine protesters, outlining the consistent disruption caused in central London by demonstrations in a report he handed to the Government earlier this year. 

He said: "My conclusions as an advisor independent of government were meticulously researched, objectively reached and my interests are all properly declared." 

The Good Law Project was founded in 2017 by Jo Maugham KC.