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Sleaze peers are off the hook
Justin Davenport11 Feb 2009
Police have ruled out an investigation into the "lords for hire" allegations, it was announced today.
Scotland Yard revealed it had considered bringing a bribery charge against two of the peers involved in the claims, Lord Taylor and Lord Truscott.
Police had also examined the offence of misconduct in a public office.
However, in a statement, the Yard said the law surrounding the House of Lords was "far from clear" while there were also difficulties in gathering evidence because of parliamentary privilege.
A review of the evidence by Assistant Commissioner John Yates, who led the cash for honours inquiry, has ruled out a criminal investigation.
Four peers, Lord Truscott, Lord Moonie, Lord Taylor of Blackburn and Lord Snape, are accused of entering into negotiations to take cash for amending legislation.
The alleged deals, involving fees of up to £120,000, were discussed with Sunday Times reporters posing as lobbyists for a foreign firm.
All four lords strenuously deny any wrongdoing.
Police said today they had taken written advice from the Crown Prosecution Service in reaching their decision.
Specialist Crime Directorate officers examined the original article and other material provided by the Sunday Times.
The Yard statement said senior officers had considered "the best use of their resources and the prospects of obtaining evidence when deciding whether or not to launch an investigation".
A spokeswoman said: "The application of the criminal law to members of the Lords in the circumstances that have arisen here is far from clear. In addition there are difficulties in gathering and adducing evidence in... context of parliamentary privilege.
"These factors, when set alongside the preliminary examination, lead us to the decision that the Metropolitan Police will not undertake a criminal inquiry into any of the allegations raised.
"Should any further evidence or information come to light then we will be under a duty to review this decision."
Police said officers had also met Baroness Royall, the Leader of the House, to discuss the issue.
They had taken into account the internal Lords inquiry into the allegations which would deal with any breaches of the code of conduct.
Senior officers were reluctant to take on such a highly charged political inquiry.
The force is already smarting over criticism of its actions in the Damian Green arrest and the last minute decision by the CPS not to bring prosecutions in the cash for honours inquiry.
Reader views (13)
"Power corrupts,but absolute power corrupts absolutely" (George Orwell)
- Frank, Bristol UK, 12/02/2009 14:39
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Did anyone seriously expect any other outcome?
- Ray King, wood green london, 12/02/2009 13:02
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Having ignored the looming financial crisis for years, there is no doubt Brown will also ignore the massive hornets' nest he is sitting on.
Provoking lots of hornets would scare most people but for Brown it's a clear case of 'ignorance is bliss'.
- Hilary Hohmeister, Heidelberg, Germany, 12/02/2009 11:08
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One law for them and one for us , charalatans all of them.
- Dave Mcc, France, 12/02/2009 09:46
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Well the CPs drops cases of criminal damage where there are witnesses and taped-confessions due to "lack of evidence", so what do you expect?
CPS only prosecutes crimes AGAINST the government not by them.
- Bobby, London, 12/02/2009 08:41
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Come on you lot out there,you cannot be suprised.
- Michael, Lincoln UK, 11/02/2009 22:00
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The police weren't so timid when it came to ransacking the Parliamentary office of a Conservative MP. Britain is becoming a slightly frightening place.
- Colin Howson, Toronto, Canada, 11/02/2009 19:20
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Aren't our police wonderful!It's so comforting to know that thieves and fraudsters are free to carry on with their objective of ensuring that Britain stays the biggest cesspool in the world!
- Alan, Chigwell. UK, 11/02/2009 19:17
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So, the law is vague about peers of the realm. It's time they were subject to the same rules as the rest of us. What about it NuLabour?
- Norcot, Oakham UK, 11/02/2009 18:56
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This is just a good message to the rest of us,here we go lads !!!
- David,Chertsey, Chertsey.UK., 11/02/2009 18:41
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They are all NuLiebour, what else was the outcome going to be? The Police are just the uniformed wing of this pernicious Britain-hating party.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 11/02/2009 18:01
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Shameful - How can ordinary People be asked to stomache such double standards ( allowing the rich and powerful off the hook whilst Joe Soap is bought to justiced over minor traffic offences.
It smells of corruption at the highest level.
All of them loking after their own kind
- Paul Jones, Solihull West U.K., 11/02/2009 17:50
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greedy mps, greedy lords, whilst ordinary folk have to work till they drop.they should hang there heads in shame.
- george, france, 11/02/2009 17:04
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