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Brown backs peerage rule change | Brown backs peerage rule change |
(10 minutes later) | |
Gordon Brown says he wants to remove from the prime minister the final say over who gets awarded peerages. | Gordon Brown says he wants to remove from the prime minister the final say over who gets awarded peerages. |
Mr Brown told reporters at 10 Downing Street that the final decision should instead be taken by an independent appointments commission. | Mr Brown told reporters at 10 Downing Street that the final decision should instead be taken by an independent appointments commission. |
At the moment the commission can advise on nominees but PMs have the final say. | At the moment the commission can advise on nominees but PMs have the final say. |
Mr Brown, speaking after MPs called for curbs to political control over Lords appointments, also urged "probity and national interest" checks on nominees. | Mr Brown, speaking after MPs called for curbs to political control over Lords appointments, also urged "probity and national interest" checks on nominees. |
'Clearly independent' | |
A report by the Commons public administration committee says parties are not trusted to appoint new peers on merit. | |
There should be explicit criteria for membership of the House of Lords and parties should submit a "long list" of nominations, with explanations of why they deserve a seat, it adds. | |
New peers could then be picked by a "clearly independent body" from the lists, the report adds. | |
This follows the long-running cash-for-honours inquiry - into allegations that honours had been sold for party donations - which resulted in no prosecutions. | |
The committee's chairman, Labour MP Tony Wright, said this had "not diminished the damage that has been done to trust in public life". |
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