Brady was clearly looking to supplement his not inconsiderable Parliamentary pension and retirement pay off but then we shoild recall that Jack Straw was using his House of Lords peerage to personal advantage several years ago.What does this tell us about the venality of Parliamentarians and their inability or reluctance to draft a binding code of practice on ethical standards when retiring from front line duties.Only MPs and peers have the powers to police themselves and the expenses scandal has not ended the presumption amongst some MPs and peers that a political career is the ticket to a gravy train. A policy to clean up both Houses is long overdue and abolition of the Lords will only solve part of the mess if it ever happens.
Brady was clearly looking to supplement his not inconsiderable Parliamentary pension and retirement pay off but then we shoild recall that Jack Straw was using his House of Lords peerage to personal advantage several years ago.What does this tell us about the venality of Parliamentarians and their inability or reluctance to draft a binding code of practice on ethical standards when retiring from front line duties.Only MPs and peers have the powers to police themselves and the expenses scandal has not ended the presumption amongst some MPs and peers that a political career is the ticket to a gravy train. A policy to clean up both Houses is long overdue and abolition of the Lords will only solve part of the mess if it ever happens.