Muffled Vociferation: Sleaze

LABOUR peers are prepared to accept fees of up to £120,000 a year to amend laws in the House of Lords on behalf of business clients, a Sunday Times investigation has found.

This article in the Sunday Times is disturbing. No doubt it will get the coverage it deserves from more politically experienced bloggers. I do hope so, it's tantamount to bribery and fraud.

It now seems as though these people ARE ABOVE THE LAW! That's not right!

It has no power to suspend or expel peers but can request they apologise. Lords cannot be fined as they are not paid a salary for their work.
Members of the five-person committee include Baroness Manningham-Buller, the former head of MI5, and Lord Irvine, the former Lord Chancellor. It is chaired by Baroness Prashar, a cross-bencher.
It is extremely difficult for a peer to be stripped of their title even if they are convicted of a crime. It would require a special Act of Parliament and this has not occurred since 1917 when peers who fought against the crown in the First World War were dismissed.
Baroness Royall, the Leader of the Lords, is also conducting her own inquiry into the scandal which could lead to the peers being ejected from the Labour part