Shamed Baroness forced to repay expenses

Baroness Uddin will have to repay expenses for returning to the House of Lords

Shamed Tower Hamlets Peer Baroness Uddin will be forced to repay falsely claimed expenses before she can return to the House of Lords.

The House Committee of the Lords has recommended closing a loophole that allows members with outstanding debts to come back to work.

However, it has ruled out pursuing individuals through the courts – suggesting judges would refuse to interfere in a parliamentary dispute.

Under the plans – expected to be rubber-stamped by the House next week – when peers have not handed back cash in full, a vote will be held a month before their suspension is due to end.

The motion will call for the member to be suspended for the rest of the parliament, or until they have repaid.

However, another vote will be needed after the following general election, as the Lords does not have the power to suspend individuals indefinitely.

The suspension would be lifted the day after the peer settles the debt in full.

In November, EastLondonLines reported on Baroness Uddin being allowed to return to her seat in the house without repaying the debt. Tower Hamlets councillor Emma Jones had called the decision to allow Uddin to return without making any repayments “outrageous”.

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