London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

House of Lords for sale? Met Police urged to probe bombshell claims

House of Lords for sale? Met Police urged to probe bombshell claims

Scotland Yard has been urged to open an investigation into an alleged Tory ‘cash for honours’ scheme after it was revealed that more than a dozen party backers were given peerages following million-pound donations.

According to a joint investigation by the Sunday Times and Open Democracy, the Conservative Party has been abusing the honours system by offering seats in the UK’s House of Lords to a select group of major boosters.

“Once you pay your £3million, you get your peerage,” one former Tory chairman allegedly said, according to the Times.

“The Metropolitan Police should launch a fresh cash for honours investigation to determine whether a criminal offence has been committed,” Scottish National Party (SNP) MP Peter Wishart said in response to the allegations. Wishart said the Tory corruption scandal was “growing worse by the day.”


Over the last two decades, all but one of the Tory party’s main treasurers have been offered a peerage. That list includes businessman Peter Cruddas, whose peerage sparked controversy last year after Prime Minister Boris Johnson overruled a House of Lords commission’s recommendation not to elevate him to a peerage.

Since the Conservatives came to power in 2010, 22 of the party’s biggest donors have been made lords after donating a total of £54 million. Despite a former Tory treasurer admitting there was a “tradition of ennobling party treasurers,” the party denied that the nominations were tied to donations.

Cabinet minister George Eustice told the BBC that the nominees, being “successful” in business, brought “valuable” expertise to their seats.


Opposition parties are piling on the pressure, however, at a time when the government is still dealing with the fallout of the Owen Paterson lobbying scandal. Last week, the former MP resigned after he was deemed to have used his position as MP to lobby for companies where he worked as an adviser.

Deputy Labour Party leader Angela Rayner said the latest ‘cash for peerage’ allegations showed the Conservative Party is “corrupt, dodgy, sleazy and on the take.”

Although it is a crime to buy or sell an honour, no charges were brought in previous allegations about peers who had made large loans to Labour despite several arrests.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×