The Spectator

Barometer | 30 July 2015

Plus: money laundering; drugs in sport; IQ and income

issue 01 August 2015

Safe house

Lord Sewel is unique in leaving the House of Lords in disgrace. Until the House of Lords Reform Act 2014, only a treason conviction earned you expulsion from the House of Lords, and that only since 1870. At least two peers have been executed for treason, Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, and William Maxwell, 5th Earl Nithsdale, but both well before this date.

— Thanks to the 2014 Act it is now possible to have your Lords membership terminated on two grounds: being jailed for a criminal offence with a sentence of more than one year, or failing to turn up for a whole session. But you cannot be ejected for non-attendance if prevented from attending through disqualification: by, say, an 11-month jail sentence.

Laundry list

David Cameron promised to crack down on gangs laundering money through London property.

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