Brexit-bashing Lords receive £500k in EU pensions a year and aren’t allowed to criticise Brussels… but won’t say so in Brexit debate
Peers will not be required to declare their pensions as a financial conflict if they speak in this week's debate on triggering Article 50
BREXIT-bashing peers are pocketing generous EU pensions which depend on them flying the flag for their Brussels paymasters.
But they will not be required to declare their gold-plated income if they speak in this week’s crucial debate on Britain’s withdrawal.
The EU forks out over £500,000 a year in pensions to 30 former MEPs and officials in the Lords.
They include seven ex-European Commissioners who swore an oath of loyalty to Brussels that means they risk losing their pension if they attack their old institutions.
It would take a combined pension pot of £10million to provide retirement income for the ex-EU peers on the same scale in the private sector.
Last night a senior MP claimed they have a vested interest in frustrating Brexit and urged them to disclose their index-linked benefits before they speak.
Tory MP Dominic Raab, an ex-justice minister, said: “Lords with generous EU pension pots should declare this when they speak in Parliament on Brexit.
“The public would be rightly outraged if peers voted to protect their Brussels bonuses rather than respect the referendum result.”
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Lord Kinnock, former vice-president of the Commission, receives an estimated £87,000-a-year EU pension.
Lord Patten receives an estimated £3,800 for his five years as a commissioner.
Lord Tugendhat, commissioner from 1977 to 1981, has an estimated pension of £41,000.
And former Trade Commissioner Lord Mandelson is due to receive a pension of £34,600.
Others who swore the EU oath are Baroness Ashton and Labour pair Lord Clinton-Davis and Lord Richard, with a combined EU pension payment of £90,000 a year.
Many of the other EU pension recipients are also die-hard Remainers who have blasted the referendum result.
In the past week, supporters of the Change Britain think-tank have been emailing peers urging them to declare a financial interest and vote in favour of the Brexit Bill.