More peers face sleaze probe call

Peers' business dealings are under the microscope

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a police probe into sleaze allegations against four more members of the Lords.

Newspaper reports on Lord O'Neill, Lord Berkeley, Baroness Valentine and Baroness Coussins suggest they may have broken laws, the party claims.

All four deny any wrongdoing and say they declared their interests properly.

It comes as Justice Secretary Jack Straw said he was considering fast-tracking laws to expel peers who commit serious misdemeanours.

Currently the heaviest punishment peers who break the law, or the rules of the House, face is being ordered to apologise.

Mr Straw said he wanted to push through tougher sanctions before the next general election.

The move follows the row over claims in the Sunday Times four Labour peers were prepared to accept money to change legislation. They all deny any wrongdoing.

'Conflict of interest'

Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said he was writing to the police to ask them to investigate the activities of four further peers named in the Sunday Times.

The way in which the House of Lords has been brought into disrepute by allegations of cash for amendments makes an elected chamber urgent Chris Huhne, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Peers face expulsion over sleaze

Labour peer Lord O'Neill of Clackmannan, the paid president of the Specialist Engineering Contractors' Group, tabled amendments to a bill on the construction industry. He later withdrew them to avoid any suggestion of a conflict of interest.

Labour peer Lord Berkeley, who reportedly earns about