FORMER Colchester Labour councillor Lord (Peter) Truscott is facing suspension from the House of Lords after a parliamentary sleaze inquiry found them guilty of misconduct in the “cash for questions” scandal.
Graham Dines
FORMER Colchester Labour councillor Lord (Peter) Truscott is facing suspension from the House of Lords after a parliamentary sleaze inquiry found him guilty of misconduct in the “cash for questions” scandal.
The Lords' privileges committee found that Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn were prepared to help Sunday Times' reporters posing as lobbyists 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 until early November -- which would also cost them access to tax-free allowances worth up to �335 a day.
If approved by the House of Lords in a vote next week, this would make Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor the first peers to be suspended since the time of Cromwell.
Suspension until the end of the session is the maximum penalty available to the committee and an indication of how seriously the misconduct is regarded.
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