'Cash for amendments' peers may face expulsion
Wednesday, 28 January 2009 12:00 AM
By Blaine Williams
Lady Royall has hinted that the four peers embroiled in the 'cash for amendments' scandal could face suspension or even expulsion.
In an article for The Guardian the leader of the House of Lords, Lady Royall, said she may introduce emergency sanctions against those involved if they are found to be guilty.
"If there are abuses, they must be rooted out," she said.
"So I will be recommending that we should be able to take a range of actions as necessary, including being able to suspend peers immediately while an investigation is being carried out, longer periods of suspension if cases are proven, and even consider the option not of removing peerages - not in the gift of the House - but of even longer and perhaps permanent exclusions in extreme cases.
"If the current allegations are proven, we may need as well to consider emergency sanctions if warranted."
David Cameron, Tory leader, vowed he would introduce tougher penalties, including stripping members of their peerage if he was to come to power.
Mr Cameron, in an interview with The Independent, promised to bring in a raft of measures to repair what he called Britain's "broken politics".
"It is completely unacceptable behaviour; we need to make sure it is properly dealt with. It is pretty clear that this went well beyond the rules that exist," he said.
"We would change the law to make sure it is possible to suspend, exclude or expel somebody from the House of Lords who has behaved inappropriately. If there is evidence that the rules have been broken so flagrantly, action must be taken."
Mr Cameron acknowledged his proposed law change could not be used retrospectively so could not be used to expel the four Labour peers - who all deny any wrongdoing.
Any changes to the current rules would need to be changed through legislation, if this is not done by the next election it would be a top priority for a new Tory government.
Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the second chamber is "completely out of step with modern Britain" and peers found guilty of breaking rules should be thrown out.
Lord Truscott, Lord Moonie, Lord Taylor of Blackburn and Lord Snape are accused of entering into negotiations, involving fees of up to £120,000, with Sunday Times reporters posing as lobbyists for a foreign firm. All four strenuously deny any wrongdoing.
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