No disciplinary action for sleaze peer
By Liz Stephens
A Conservative peer who admitted twice breaking the House of Lords anti-sleaze rules, will face no action it was revealed today.
Lady Cumberlege, a former minister in John Major’s government, broke rules on declaring outside interests and her business partner’s financial connections but will face no sanctions.
The Lords’ disciplinary panel decided to drop the matter after the peer apologised and promised to observe the rules more closely in future.
Lady Cumberlege admitted using parliamentary facilities to help promote her political networking consultancy, Cumberlege Connections. This included granting a parliamentary pass and email account to a fellow director of the company and facilitating access to the Palace of Westminster for clients.
The verdict was criticised today amid accusations that the conduct of peers is too loosely policed.
The rules in the Lords are less stringent than those in the Commons as peers promise to “act always on their personal honour”.
David Miller of Spinwatch, the campaign group which triggered the Lords investigation into Cumberlege, said: “We are appalled but not surprised that the authorities in the house seem totally unable even to enforce the inadequate rules that they do have.
“Radical reforms are needed to ensure transparency on outside interests including a lobbying register and outlawing second and third jobs.”
Earlier this year, two Labour peers were exposed as having offered to try to change the law in return for money. The House of Lords voted to suspend Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn for six months, the first such action since the 17th century.
