BRITAIN-POLITICS/SEWEL Cavorting, snorting British peer quits House of Lords

Record ID: 134898

  • Title: BRITAIN-POLITICS/SEWEL Cavorting, snorting British peer quits House of Lords
  • Date: 28th July 2015
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (JULY 28, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPER HEADLINE "HOUSE OF LORDS IN CRISIS - NOW GET RID OF THE LOT OF THEM" INSIDE STORY WITH HEADLINE "MONEY FOR OLD ROBE" NEWSPAPER HEADLINE READING: "SHAMELESS"
  • Embargoed: 12th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4SPX93YAHO454OL2QVU9B9YL6
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A senior British peer said on Tuesday (July 28) he was leaving the House of Lords, Britain's unelected upper parliamentary chamber, after a newspaper published a video which it said showed him using cocaine and cavorting with prostitutes.
    John Buttifant Sewel had already quit as deputy speaker of the House of Lords after The Sun on Sunday released footage showing him semi-naked and snorting powder through a banknote while partying with two women.
    In a statement, Sewel said his behaviour might not have breached the Lord's code of conduct.
    "The bigger questions are whether my behaviour is compatible with membership of the House of Lords and whether my continued membership would damage and undermine public confidence in the House of Lords," he said.
    "I believe the answer to both these questions means that I can best serve the House by leaving it."
    Sewel, 69, who is married, was in charge of standards and discipline in the upper chamber.
    Members of the House of Lords were relieved Sewel finally resigned, said Baroness Hayman.
    "This has been a terribly damaging period for the House of Lords and I can only imagine what it has done to his family. I am slightly frustrated that it has taken so long for him to acknowledge that damage and frankly to do what was inevitable from the beginning," she said.
    The case has spurred calls to overhaul the House of Lords, a chamber which with over 800 members critics say is becoming too big because of the sitting prime minister's right to regularly swell its ranks with political appointees.
    "Now Get Rid Of The Lot Of Them", the left-leaning Mirror newspaper said on its front page on Tuesday.
    "The discredited House of Lords should be consigned to history where it belongs," it said in its editorial.
    Baron Karan Bilimoria, a life peer in the House of Lords said talk of reforming the chamber is an over-reaction.
    "We are talking about a bad apple. You can't tar everyone with the same brush. The House of Lords is an amazing institution and I have been there for nine years and I am so proud to be there. It is an institution we should be proud of, not because of one scandal like this talk about reform. We've had the debate about reforming the House of Lords for years, we've gone through it. We realise now, what we've got is actually very special, what we have got is phenomenal value for money," he said.
    Less than two weeks ago, Sewel had written an article boasting how the Lords had taken steps to protect its image, saying only a small number broke the rules and that most understood personal honour came first.
    "I hope my decision will limit and help repair the damage I have done to an institution I hold dear," he said in his Tuesday statement. "I want to apologise for the pain and embarrassment I have caused."
    On Monday (July 27) police raided Sewel's London apartment, close to the Houses of Parliament. Sniffer dogs entered the premises and bags of evidence were removed.
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