Peer asked British diplomat to help Ghana goldmine in which he held shares

"A member of the House of Lords asked a senior British diplomat to help a Ghanaian goldmining venture in which he held shares, claiming it was in the UK national interest, the Guardian can disclose. The revelation will add to concerns about apparent breaches of parliamentary lobbying rules by Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British army. The peer is already under scrutiny over his lobbying for several companies, leading in two cases to investigations by the Lords' standards body."

"Please excuse an unsolicited email but I am writing to ask for some assistance on a commercial matter that, although beneficial for the company concerned, is in the UK national interest, he wrote. Dannatt said Blue International, in which he held 10,461 shares, was at a critical juncture because it was planning a listing on the New York Stock Exchange."

A House of Lords member asked the British high commissioner to Ghana in January 2024 to help a Ghanaian goldmining venture in which he held shares, saying the matter was in the UK national interest. The venture’s parent, Blue International, and its Ghanaian subsidiary, Future Global Resources, faced financial difficulties at the Bogoso-Prestea mine and risked losing the right to operate that asset. The peer said the company was planning a New York Stock Exchange listing and required support from the Ghanaian minister of land, while facing significant opposition. The peer sought a video conference with the high commissioner and stated he sought to abide by relevant rules.

Read at www.theguardian.com