BROWN MUST RULE OUT ENNOBLING DESERTING MPs

BROWN MUST RULE OUT ENNOBLING DESERTING MPs

STRAW'S LORDS ANNOUNCEMENT 100 YEARS TOO LATE

CAN WE TRUST LABOUR PROMISES?

With Jack Straw announcing that Labour will support legislation for a wholly elected House of Lords, SNP MP Angus MacNeil - who initiated the cash-for-peerages investigation – is calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to make clear that he will not ennoble any MPs that are retiring from Parliament.

At least 9 Scottish Labour MPs have announced they are stepping down at the General Election.

The House of Commons has already voted for an elected House of Lords in 2007 and the cash-for-peerages scandal played a significant part in that vote.

Commenting Mr MacNeil said:

“Labour’s commitment to reforming in the House of Lords is already massively discredited by the fact they’ve been promising to take action for 100 years and we’re still waiting.

“If Gordon Brown is serious this time round, he should immediately rule out ennobling any of the MPs who have announced they are standing down at this election. To rush through peerages for these individuals would make a mockery of this latest pledge.

"This Parliament has been mired in an expenses scandal and I doubt it would sit well with ordinary folk if politicians who were not prepared to face voters were elevated to the House of Lords.

"If Gordon Brown doesn't rule out ennobling retiring MPs, it will raise questions of whether voters can really trust what they promise. Reform of the House of Lords is fundamental to improving democracy in the UK – it simply must not be a hollow election pledge for another century to come.”