Lords attendance: lebedev, botham face scrutiny over low participation
Evgeny Lebedev, the newspaper proprietor and friend of Boris Johnson, is facing criticism for his consistently low attendance at House of Lords sessions, mirroring a similar pattern with former cricketer Ian Botham. Both peers have recorded identical attendance rates over the past four years, raising questions about their commitment to the upper house.
Peers' attendance rates mirror each other
According to records obtained by The Guardian, both Lebedev, Baron Lebedev of Hampton and Siberia, and Botham, Baron Botham of Ravensworth, North Yorkshire, have attended just 1.12% of sessions between January 2022 and the end of 2025. This tally reflects a pattern of sporadic participation since their appointments by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Lebedev, a cross-bench peer, had previously attended 31 sessions out of 318 between November 2019 and the end of 2022, achieving a rate of 1.25%. He has increased his engagement recently, with two votes this year and six speeches this month, a stark contrast to his initial six years in the Lords where he did not vote at all.
Botham initially showed more enthusiasm, attending 26 sessions in 2021. His participation has since waned considerably. He has not spoken in the Lords since November 2020 and has not tabled any written questions since November 2024. Though he has voted 21 times, his last vote was in July 2021.
The operational differences between the House of Lords and the House of Commons contribute to the sporadic attendance. Many peers have careers outside the chamber or specialize in areas not directly requiring frequent participation. The attendance records also don't factor in work on Lords committees, which can consume considerable time. Neither Lebedev nor Botham has served on a committee.
The size of the House of Lords, currently at 868 members, is a perennial point of contention. Despite a recent bill aimed at removing all hereditary peers, efforts to curb the chamber's numbers have largely failed, with new appointments offsetting retirements. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has created 96 peers since taking office, adding to the already significant number of non-elected members. Johnson's appointments, including Lebedev's, drew criticism for perceived nepotism.
While some older members of the Lords also attend sessions infrequently, neither Lebedev nor Botham's low attendance is as consistent. The pair's participation raises questions about the value placed on commitment within the upper house and the expectations of those appointed to serve.
The disparity in engagement between these two peers, both linked to a prominent political figure, highlights a broader discussion about accountability and purpose within the UK's legislative body. The Lords, often viewed as a revising chamber, may need to re-evaluate the expectations of its members in an era demanding greater civic engagement.