A “senior (labour) party official” has admitted that a seat in parliament can be bought for cash, according to a report in the Financial Times. The official told the newspaper that it was acceptable for business people who made donations to finance “city academies” to be rewarded with the position of legislator-for-life, know euphemistically as a “life peerage”.
This is the first time that a party has defended the sale of seats in the legislature. According to the party official quoted in the Financial Times these legislators would “take with them (to parliament) authority and understanding” of the party’s education reforms.
The official claimed that criticism of this selling of seats in parliament was no more than labour party opponents having “a crack at the government”.