An unprecedented number of peerages have been blocked after the candidates failed a strict vetting process amid concerns that many of those being recommended for the House of Lords are not suitable candidates, The Telegraph can disclose.
On the day that the Government is expected to announce more than 40 new appointments to the House of Lords, it can be revealed that seven people who had been nominated were turned down by Whitehall’s appointments commission.
There are also understood to be concerns about many more on the list but they cannot be blocked from the upper chamber under the rules.
The committee which approves potential nominees is not allowed to consider the "suitability" of those put forward by political parties and today's list is expected to contain a large number of political "cronies" who have only ever worked as government advisers.
It can only block people where there is concern about the financial propriety or on the basis of other strict criteria, such as whether their ennoblement is linked to a political donation.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11826722/Revealed-Seven-peerages-blocked-after-failing-vetting-process.html
