Scotland Yard won’t launch a formal investigation into the Sunday Times’ accusations* against four peers.

The Met said it had “carefully” reviewed the allegations against the Lords. But it was “far from clear” how criminal law could apply to the House of Lords.

“In addition, there are very clear difficulties in gathering and adducing evidence in these circumstances in the context of Parliamentary Privilege…These factors, when set alongside the preliminary examination, lead us to the decision that the Metropolitan Police will not undertake a criminal inquiry into any of the allegations raised.”

* The paper approached peers claiming to represent a “Hong Kong tycoon” who wanted to recruit them as advisers. Four Lords - Moonie, Truscott, Snape and Taylor of Blackburn - had been ready to help change the law to favour their prospective employers, according to the newspaper.

February 11, 2009 4:35pm in UK politics | Comment