If you’ve got a few hundred thousand smackers and want something done, like a little change in the law or a question asked in the upper house, it seems there’s only one party whose peers can help you out – Labour.
The Times, posing as would-be lobbyists seeking a change in the law for a wealthy client, contacted five Labour peers, three Conservatives, one Liberal Democrat and one Ulster Unionist.
The results reflect badly not only on the House of Lords but also on the Labour party. Of the 10, four were prepared to do business with our “lobbyists” for fees of up to £120,000 a year. All four were Labour and two were former ministers.
Lord Taylor boasted that he could pick up the telephone and arrange meetings with Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, and that he had succeeded in changing legislation on behalf of Experian, the credit reference company. Lord Truscott, a former energy minister, said he had helped to change the energy bill on behalf of a company selling so-called “smart” electricity meters.
All four Labour peers – the others were Lord Snape, a former Labour whip, and Lord Moonie, another former minister – offered to help secure legislative changes by putting in a word with ministers, civil servants, or with the relevant members of parliamentary committees. One boasted of the huge amount of such business done in the Lords.
UPDATE: more detail including the excruciatingly awful transcripts here.
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7 Comments
Well, yes, but…See Donnachadh McCarthy’s attempts over the years to get the Liberal Democrats to enforce party policy with regard to peers working for lobbying companies. There is a very grey area here and the party establishment’s failure to implement policy agreed by Conference is what finally drove Donnachadh to leave the party.
Out of interest, which Lib Dem peer refused?
To be fair, if you have a system where places in the Lords can be bought (allegedly) by donating to labour, then there’ll be attempts to recoup that expenditure…(joke, but not as bad a joke as the grasping underhandedness of way too many in parliament, Lords and MPs alike)
As a member of the Lords I agree with tonyhill. When Conference debated the issue of the Lords and lobbying the clear understanding was that the Party would, over time, develop policy in this area. I have been pressing for something more to happen but so far nothing has. Every time something like the disgraceful Labour cash for amendments happensd it is a renewed clarion call to us to ensure Lib Dems have proper policy on Peers in the Lords as regard lobbying, directorships etc.
It is time for the Party to tackle it once and for all.
Well if we all got paid this amount of money (or anything at all) for putting down amendments to Bills both Sue and I would be millionaires by now!
We might be looking more closely from now on, though, at any amendments that come from Labour backbenchers.
Tony Greaves
(due to move 60 amendments to the first bit of the ridiculous Local Democracy Bill tomorrow!)
Find myself not at allshocked at the alleged revelation in the Sunday Times that four New Labour peers have in essence allegedly agreed to accept bribes for tabling amendments to Laws to benefit Commercial interests of the people offering to pay them.
It’s just another example of Government corruption.
And we are not talking minor amounts; one of them allegedly wanted £120,000 per year!
So politics on every level in this country is peopled by people with their snouts in the trough to rip this Country off for as much as they can.
Starting with the Councillors, whose allowances now are so substantial they amount to a salary along with their redundancy and retirement packages.
To MPS who seem capable of attracting Part time jobs with multinationals alongside their Parliamentary duties(although of course with no potential conflict of interest, No, No never!!!!).
Finally to the Lords who along with their ‘allowance’ of up to £300 per day are now, at least on the Labour benches, apparently selling off the law of this country to the Highest bidder!
But are we surprised?
No, not when we remember their role model, Tony Blair, Mr Teflon, who has prostituted himself around the world taking money where he can get it, trading on his reputation as British PM.
The Christian who definitely begins at home, his home!
This warmonger and war criminal has sold this country down the river and left in charge an incompetent buffoon who is even more rapidly destroying our economy than Bliar and Bush destroyed Iraq with their illegal war and both of whom supported the Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
So a few Lords trying to ‘trouser’ as much as they can should be no surprise.
But forgive me, isn’t this in essence ‘Treason’ for which I believe they can still be hanged?
These Lords are making an excellent case for their abolition and replacement with an elected chamber.
These are the turkeys who are voting for Christmas with their feet. Gobble-gobble!