Asian Peers face suspension from the House of Lords
19 October 2010

Three Asian Peers: Baroness Pola Uddin, multi-millionaire industrialist Lord Swraj Paul and millionaire businessman Lord Amir Bhatia face being suspended from the House of Lords as part of the investigation by the upper chamber into the expenses scandal. The House of Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee said that the three should repay nearly £200,000 among them for incorrectly claiming second home allowances.

As a result of this investigation, the committee further added that Lady Uddin should be suspended from the House of Lords until Easter 2012 and repay £125,349 for claiming for a home in Maidstone, Kent when she actually spent most of her time at a long-term residence in East London. The committee also said Lord Paul should be suspended for four months and cross bencher Lord Bhatia for eight months. The lengthy suspensions, are the heaviest sanctions ever meted out to peers accused of wrongdoing. The final decision on whether to go ahead and suspend the peers will be made on Thursday 21st October.

News agency Reuters reported that 'Lord Bhatia and Lord Paul have paid back £41,982 and £27,446 they respectively owe. Baroness Uddin has been suspended from the Labour Party pending investigation into her expulsion from the party and Lord Paul has resigned his Labour Party membership.'

The inquiry follows an investigations initiated by The Sunday Times newspaper earlier in the year.