New BBC documentary reveals story of a money grabbing peer who dashed into the House of Lords leaving his taxi running so he could pocket his £300 daily alllowance

A MONEY grabbing peer ducked into the Lords to pocket his £300 a daily allowance with his taxi’s engine still running, it has emerged.

The shameful con was witnessed by former Lords Speaker Baroness D’Souza.

The senior peer reveals it a new BBC2 documentary, Meet the Lords, as well as slamming dozens of other upper house members for still being on the fiddle.

Lady D’Souza told the programme: “There is a core of peers who work incredibly hard, who do that work, and there are, sad to say, many, many, many peers who contribute absolutely nothing but who claim the full allowance.

“I can remember one occasion when I was leaving the House quite late and there was a peer - who shall be utterly nameless - who jumped out of a taxi just outside the peers’ entrance, left the engine running.

“He ran in, presumably to show that he’d attended, and then ran out again while the taxi was still running.”

She added: “That’s not normal, but it is something that does happen and I think that we have lost the sense of honour that used to pertain, and that is a great, great shame”.

The revelation will fuel fresh calls to end the daily allowance system, which is wide open to abuse.

Former Labour Deputy John Prescott also likened the Lords to a job centre because of the handout for not working.

Lord Prescott told the programme: “I remember when I was a seaman, unemployed, it was called the job centre, and if you wanted to get your unemployment money you ticked on, and if you didn’t get there you didn’t get it.

“That’s exactly what they’ve got here.”