A day after the resignation of the speaker of the British parliament in an expenses scandal the House of Lords today suspended two members over corruption allegations in a move not seen in over 350 years, according to dpa. The two Labour peers, Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn, were found guilty by a probe last week of offering to try to change legislation in return for money. They were suspended from the unelected Upper Chamber of the British parliament until the end of the current parliamentary session in November. The suspension, the first since 1642, throws the spotlight on malpractices in the House of Lords just a day after Michael Martin, the Speaker (president) of the House of Commons (lower house), stepped down over an expenses scandal that has engulfed all the main political parties. The so-called "cash-for-amendments" affair in the House of Lords was revealed by a report in the Sunday Times in January which said that Labour peers had told undercover journalists, posing as lobbyists, that they were willing to try to amend legislation in return for money. A House of Lords committee found that the members had displayed a "clear willingness" to breach the parliamentary code of conduct which bans peers from accepting any financial inducement in return for exercising parliamentary influence. The two Lords were not accused of actually taking money, but were found to have broken rules which stated that Lords "must always act on their personal honour." Two other Labour Party peers implicated in the report were cleared of similar allegations, but apologized to the Lords for "inappropriate conduct." The Sunday Times claimed that the Lords had entered into negotiations to help change legislation in return for fees of up to 120,000 pounds (188,000 dollars) a year. The newspaper said its reporters approached Taylor, claiming to be acting on behalf of a Hong Kong businessman who was concerned at the impact of tax legislation on his company. It alleged that Taylor agreed to work "behind the scenes" to try to ensure that the bill was amended and negotiated an annual fee. Taylor said he was approached by two people claiming to work for a lobbying firm and looking for help with a bill they wanted amending. He said they suggested taking him on as an adviser at a fee of between 5,000 and 10,000 a month. Truscott was accused of discussing a deal for 72,000 pounds. He admitted having talks with the reporter but described suggestions that he would put down amendments for money as a "lie." Earlier Wednesday, the British government outlined plans for a reform of the discredited expenses system for parliamentarians. The tougher rules, agreed by party leaders, would introduce a system of external regulation for expenses claims in order to "put the reputation of parliament above reproach," deputy Labour Party leader Harriet Harman said. A number of high-profile members of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government remain under investigation over possible breaches of the rules governing claims.
