UPDATE: Reply received from the House of Lords Appointments Commission on the 16th of April
Dear *****,
Lord Jay has asked me to thank you for your email and to replay on his behalf. While we are unable to comment on individual cases, actual or theoretical, it may be helpful to explain the House of Lords Appointments Commission’s vetting role in respect of party-political nominees. The Commission is asked by the Prime Minister to vet prospective party-political nominees to the House of Lords for propriety. It submits its advice on individuals to the Prime Minister but has no power of veto.
Kind regards
*****
Just to let you know that the following letter was sent today to the Lords Appointments Commission:
Dear Lord Jay,
I am writing to you in connection with the latest Dissolution Honours List, which your Lordship and the Appointments Commission, over which your Lordship presides, is supposed to be vetting.
In that List, I was shocked to learn, John Prescott’s name was inserted. Whether this recommendation was made out of political cynicism or in a transitory moment of folly, we have no way of knowing, but we strongly believe that John Prescott’s place is not amongst the Lords - to whom we, members of the public, look up as to the highest and noblest spirits in the land.
It couldn’t have escaped your Lordship’s attention that our ex-Deputy Prime Minister has been embroiled in many dubious affairs such as the rigged formal inquiries into the sinking of MV Derbyshire and the FV Gaul, that his conduct while in ministerial office was scandalous in the extreme, his manners unbecoming of a Lord’s ermine and coronet, his oratorical accomplishments are grievously lacking, and his attitude towards taxpayer’s money has been as fishy as the whole trawler fleet of Hull.
I, therefore, appeal to your Lordship and to the Lords Appointments Commission to block John Prescott’s peerage and spare the Upper House from further dishonour and devaluation of the noble title of Lord.
And I thank your Lordship in advance for your kind consideration of my plea.
Your Lordship’s humblest and most faithful servant,
