Police 'should probe Lords case'

[emad]

The Liberal Democrats have called for a police inquiry into allegations that four Labour peers were prepared to accept money to change proposed laws.

Home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said if the claims, made in the Sunday Times newspaper, were true a criminal offence would have been committed.

The four are said to have offered to amend laws in return for up to £120,000 - claims that they all deny.

The Leader of the House of Lords has promised a full investigation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7849990.stm

[emad]

1. Today's Sunday Times:

According to the newspaper, whose reporters posed as lobbyists for a foreign comapny setting up a chain of shops in the UK, Lord Taylor of Blackburn, Lord Truscott, a former energy minsiter, Lord Moonie, a former defence minister, and Lord Snape, a former government whip, indicated they were ready to help for money.

They represent potentially the most serious allegations about parliamentary conduct since the cash for questions affair in the 1990s.

The Sunday Times said that its reporters approached Lord Taylor of Blackburn claiming to be acting on behalf of a Hong Kong businessman who was concerned at the impact of the Business Rate Supplements Bill on his company. It said that he agreed to work “behind the scenes” to try to ensure that the bill was amended and negotiated a £120,000 annual fee.

Lord Taylor said today that he was approached by two people claiming to work for a lobbying firm and looking for help with a bill they wanted amending. He said that they had suggested taking him on as an adviser at a fee of between £5,000 to £10,000 a month. “It was their suggestion, not my suggestion,” he said. “I never said I would accept it.

No contract was signed and no money changed hands, he said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5586109.ece


Lords Moonie and Snape! Chosen on the merit of their surnames alone?

[Albus]

2. Prediction...

There will be an enquiry of sorts which will either exonerate them or issue a mild rebuke & blame the system and say reform is needed.

There will then be another (lengthy) enquiry into what form this reform should take.

Then, when everyone's lost interest, nothing will happen.