 | 'Watson has already claimed £21,000 in expenses in just two years, despite having been a sitting MSP. His friends have indicated he will be moving to London after his release, intending to earn a lucrative income from work as a full-time peer.' Eddie Barnes, Political Editor, in Scotland on Sunday, 25 th September 2005. |  |
SNP MSPs are to launch a fresh parliamentary bid to throw Mike Watson out of the House of Lords following his 16-month sentence for fireraising at an Edinburgh hotel.
The Nationalists are to press for new laws to be introduced banning anyone with a criminal conviction from sitting in the Lords.
Ministers introduced the move three years ago following the conviction of Lord Archer for perjury, only to then shelve it along with all their other reforms for the Upper Chamber.
They now face new demands for the plans to be brought back following Watson's conviction.
The Labour peer and former MSP was found guilty of setting fire to curtains at a hotel last year, putting the lives of dozens of guests and staff in danger.
Upon conviction last week, Sheriff Kathrine Mackie said Watson would remain a danger to the public upon release, and indicated he had shown little remorse for his crime, instead concentrating on how the incident had destroyed his own life and that of his wife.
Despite the offence, Watson will be allowed to return to the Lords after he is released, probably in May next year. He will be able to claim £192 a day in expenses upon release.
Watson has already claimed £21,000 in expenses in just two years, despite having been a sitting MSP.
His friends have indicated he will be moving to London after his release, intending to earn a lucrative income from work as a full-time peer.
SNP MSP Angus Robertson said the Nationalists would be pressing the Speaker of the House of Commons for a full debate on a law change to prevent Watson from returning.
He said: "It is scandalous that he is allowed to continue his time in the House of Lords.
"Firstly, we have someone who can remain a legislator despite being in prison. Secondly, we have someone who can continue to be a legislator after being released. This is despite the fact that, in this case, the sheriff herself said that there was a serious risk of re-offending. It is an insult to any notion of democracy.
"This is going to be very difficult for the Labour party to explain away, just as it was very difficult for the Conservatives to explain Lord Archer."
A source within the Department for Constitutional Affairs said that while there were no current plans to introduce a new law, it was a possibility.
"Of course, when the other House of Lords reforms fell by the wayside then this got dumped too," he said, referring to the last time ministers tried to change the law.
"We are waiting to see what ministers decide to come up with. There are no proposals at the moment to re-introduce the plans, although the Labour party has said it will be bringing it back eventually. We will wait and see."
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