Walney referred to Lords Commissioner for Standards for Islamophobic attack on Moazzam Begg

London - CAGE International has referred John Woodcock - known as Lord Walney - to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards following his discriminatory attack on our Senior Director, Moazzam Begg.

Lord Walney had last month singled out Begg from some 700 others arrested between July and August for defying the proscription of Palestine Action. Among those arrested were a Reverend, a retired British army colonel, and a former government adviser. Yet, he singled out Begg, publicly calling for his passport to be revoked. 

The complaint stated that it was reasonable to conclude that Lord Walney singled Begg out for sanction because of his ethnic and religious background, exhibiting racism and Islamophobia.

Citing the House of Lords Code of Ethics, the complaint calls for an investigation into Lord Walney’s statements and asks for a public apology from him. A previous letter sent by CAGE International directly to Lord Walney requesting an apology did not solicit a response. 

A House of Lords peer, Lord Walney is mired in scandal. He is a former chair of Labour Friends of Israel and a lobbyist for the oil and arms industry, with well-known right-wing and authoritarian views.  

CAGE International's Head of Public Advocacy, Anas Mustapha, said:

"It is about time that someone challenges Lord Walney’s abuse of his public position. Lord Walney recently fumbled his way through an interview regarding concerns about the conflict of interest he faces as a supposed ‘independent adviser’ on protests. His lobbying for authoritarian powers to defend a live streamed genocide exposes his vacuous ethics and his danger to the rule of law in Britain.”