Lords reform needed to halt cronyism allegations - Hughes

12.00.00am GMT Fri 10th Mar 2006

Victoria Tower Houses of Parliament, House of Lords, Westminster

Responding to accusations of cronyism, surrounding Labour's latest nominations to the House of Lords, Liberal Democrat Shadow Constitutional Affairs Secretary, Simon Hughes MP, said "Nominating all big Labour donors for Peerages is clearly bringing the House of Lords and Parliament into disrepute. Reform of the second chamber, to make it modern effective and fit for purpose, is a constitutional priority.

"Liberal Democrats will be active in working for an agreed solution that has wide spread public support.

"One of the issues that must be addressed is to separate donations to political parties from places in the legislature. A direct connection is clearly fundamentally wrong."