Hypocritical Lords should sever pensions ties with EU before they vote on Brexit bill
Up to 30 peers receive hefty annual pensions from the EU, and aren't allowed to speak ill of Brussels - but will still vote on Article 50
EARLIER this month, the House of Commons voted to approve the bill that will begin Brexit.
Most of the Remainer MPs realised that democracy meant they had to accept the referendum result. They did the right thing and voted to trigger Article 50.
This week it’s the House of Lords’ turn to debate the bill.
Unlike MPs, peers have no constituents. They’re not accountable to anyone. However they vote and whatever they say, voters can never remove them at the ballot box.
Today we reveal that up to 30 Lords are either paid or about to be paid a pension by the EU. Needless to say, many are hardcore Remainers.
But astonishingly, none of them is required by the House of Lords’ rules to declare that they’re still on the EU’s books.
The likes of Lord Patten, Lord Mandelson and Lord Kinnock have already had their bank accounts stuffed with huge salaries from the EU gravy train. Next comes a lavish pension.
If any of the EU pensioners speak in this week’s debates — let alone try to amend the bill — without first declaring their financial support from Brussels, it would be an outrage.
That’s especially important because they’ve all sworn an oath of loyalty to the EU, pledging to support it.
The rules might not demand that they make clear their bank accounts’ dependence on the EU before they speak. But basic decency does.
Compo out of control
DAVID Norris is claiming damages from the Ministry of Justice over an alleged jail assault.
He’s a killer who lied about his involvement in Stephen Lawrence’s murder. Who knows if he’s lying about the assault, too?
But the real point is that this is just one of hundreds of claims for compensation by lags. Over the past six years, 234 prisoners – including Milly Dowler’s murderer Levi Bellfield - have been handed an average of £11,538 each in compo.
This is out of control.
Justice Secretary Liz Truss says she wants to reform prisons.
She should start by getting to grips with the prison compensation culture.
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With the cup worth more than the drink inside, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.