ULSTER UNIONISTS SUSPEND LORD LAIRD

English: UUP Peer Lord Laird (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Ulster Unionists have suspended Lord Laird from their West minister team.

It follows claims that he agreed to carry out parliamentary work for payment.

Undercover Sunday Times reporters filmed three peers who appear to offer to help a fake solar energy company. Wwhich is illegal for a member of Parliament in the UK to accept cash for bribes.

Lord Laird, Lord Cunningham and Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate deny wrongdoing. BBC Panorama and the Daily Telegraph filmed Lord Laird discussing a retainer for parliamentary questions.

With many thanks to : BBC NEWS.

Related articles

• PR professional Lord Laird is no stranger to controversy (irishtimes.com)
• Lord Laird resigns party whip (newsletter.co.uk)
• Lord Laird resigns UUP’s whip (bbc.co.uk)
• Ulster Unionist peer Lord Laird resigns whip over cash for access lobbying allegations (independent.co.uk)
• Lord Laird loses party whip. (politics.ie)
• Peer resigns whip over cash for access (thetimes.co.uk)
• Lord Laird relinquishes whip ‘pending investigation’ (itv.com)

Single victims’ commissioner sought

  

Two women walk past mural depicting victims of the Troubles in west Belfast

 

A single victims’ commissioner is set to take over the duties of the three current holders of the position. The Executive has advertised in local newspapers for applications for the advocacy role for people bereaved or injured in the Troubles. The decision to reduce the number of commissionerscomes as a new Victims Service gets up and running.It is understood the Government considers that the three current commissioners, who get paid £65,000 a year, have accomplished so much in establishing initial contact with victims that their workload could now be undertaken by one individual.However, ministers are understood to be open to hiring two commissioners if two outstanding candidates emerge.The current incumbents – RUC widow Bertha McDougall, Patricia MacBride, whose IRA brother was killed by the SAS, and Brendan McAllister, formerly of Mediation NI – end their terms in post in May.

There had been four commissioners but Mike Nesbitt resigned to pursue a career in politics with the Ulster Unionist party.

The three outgoing commissioners will be free to apply for the new position.

The newspaper advert calls for applications to the post of commissioner/commissioners.

A senior Stormont source said that while there was the potential for appointing two commissioners, the preference was for one. “The intention is to appoint a single commissioner,” said the source. “But we are trying to retain some degree of flexibility.”

WITH MANY THANKS TO : THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH.

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