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May 14, 2009

Sunday Times investigation prompts Lords misconduct ruling

By paulmcnally

Two Labour peers face being the first Lords to be suspended from the house since the time of Cromwell, following a Sunday Times Insight investigation into “cash for amendments”.

The Lords’ privileges committee today found former minister Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn guilty of misconduct after they told Sunday Times reporters posing as lobbyists that they were prepared to seek amendments to Government legislation in return for cash.

The committee has recommended their suspension from the house until the end of this session of parliament – probably around six months. This is the maximum penalty available to the committee.

Two other Labour peers – the former minister Lord Moonie and Lord Snape – were cleared of wrongdoing, but invited to make apologies to the upper house for showing an “inappropriate attitude” to parliamentary rules banning paid advocacy.

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