The amorous Lord Strathclyde is spinning that he is slashing the maximum amount Peers can claim in expenses from £53,000 to £45,000 if they are full-time. The whole Lords system is to be replaced by a “clocking-in” service where Lords will be given £300 a day for turning up. Out of this they have to pay for all travel, staff, office and food. Poor hard done by sods.

Guido suspects that we will be seeing the Lords a little busier than usual when they actually have to turn up for their shilling, meaning this plan could backfire and ending up costing the taxpayer more. There is also a very obvious flaw in this which Guido likes to call the “Rennard Model”. There will be nothing to stop Lords turning up in the morning to collect their £300 and then disappearing off for the rest of the day – it is going to be an honour system – something that is very lacking in Westminster.  If these changes haven’t been properly thought through then the this system is looking just as prone to abuse as the last set up.