Difference between revisions of "John Kiszely"

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(Sunday Times sting operation)
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After being confronted by the ''Sunday Times'', Kiszely claimed he had not raised Babcock or the Regional Prime contract with the brigadiers.<ref>Galloping Greed of the old warhorses, ''Insight'', ''Sunday Times'', 14 October 2012, p.14.</ref> he said he had never "used access gained in my legion role to raise the subject of, or discuss, any business interests whatsoever, let alone to make representations on behalf of clients."<ref>Legion's chief ready to lobby at events for fallen, ''Sunday Times'', 14 October 2012, p.16.</ref>
 
After being confronted by the ''Sunday Times'', Kiszely claimed he had not raised Babcock or the Regional Prime contract with the brigadiers.<ref>Galloping Greed of the old warhorses, ''Insight'', ''Sunday Times'', 14 October 2012, p.14.</ref> he said he had never "used access gained in my legion role to raise the subject of, or discuss, any business interests whatsoever, let alone to make representations on behalf of clients."<ref>Legion's chief ready to lobby at events for fallen, ''Sunday Times'', 14 October 2012, p.16.</ref>
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Kiszely resigned as head of the Royal British Legion the day after the ''Sunday Times'' report.<ref>Nick Hopkins, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/oct/15/royal-british-legion-president-quits Royal British Legion president quits in wake of lobbying claims], guardian.co.uk, 15 October 2012.</ref>
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==

Revision as of 17:48, 15 October 2012

Lieutenant General Sir John Kiszely is a retired British Army officer.

Kiszely was Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff at the Ministry of Defence from 1998 until 2001, when he became Deputy Commander of NATO Forces in Bosnia. From 2002 until 2005 General Kiszely was Commander of Regional Forces in the UK, and also Deputy Commander of Coalition Forces in Iraq from 2004-5. He was Chief Executive of the UK Defence Academy until his retirement in May 2008, and is currently Visiting Professor in War Studies, Kings College London, National President of the Royal British Legion, and military advisor to Babcock International. He is also Deputy Chairman of the board of the Imperial War Museum.[1]

Sunday Times sting operation

In 2012, Kiszely was one of a number of retired senior army officers targeted in a sting operation by Sunday Times journalists posing as representatives of a Korean drone manufacturer.[2]

Kiszely reportedly told undercover journalists that Babcock International was bidding for £4.35 billion in regional prime contracts to manage Ministry of Defence (MOD) properties, and that while MOD was supposed to be 'in purdah', he had managed to schedule a meeting with two Brigadiers involved. He also claimed to have introduced Babcock to General Sir David Richards, General Sir Peter Wall, and General Sir Nick Parker, and that clients benefitted from his friendship with Armed Forces Minister Andrew Robathan.[3]

Kiszely reportedly told the Sunday Times, that his role at the Royal British Legion enabled him to secure meetings with Armed Forces Minister Andrew Robathan and to lobby the Prime Minister at remembrance events.[4]

After being confronted by the Sunday Times, Kiszely claimed he had not raised Babcock or the Regional Prime contract with the brigadiers.[5] he said he had never "used access gained in my legion role to raise the subject of, or discuss, any business interests whatsoever, let alone to make representations on behalf of clients."[6]

Kiszely resigned as head of the Royal British Legion the day after the Sunday Times report.[7]

Notes

  1. Reappointment of Lieutenant General Sir John Kiszely KCB MC DL to the Board of the Imperial War Museum, Department for Culture, Media and Sport], August 2012.
  2. Galloping Greed of the old warhorses, Insight, Sunday Times, 14 October 2012, pp.13-15.
  3. Galloping Greed of the old warhorses, Insight, Sunday Times, 14 October 2012, p.14.
  4. Legion's chief ready to lobby at events for fallen, Sunday Times, 14 October 2012, p.16.
  5. Galloping Greed of the old warhorses, Insight, Sunday Times, 14 October 2012, p.14.
  6. Legion's chief ready to lobby at events for fallen, Sunday Times, 14 October 2012, p.16.
  7. Nick Hopkins, Royal British Legion president quits in wake of lobbying claims, guardian.co.uk, 15 October 2012.