It should be interesting because for the first time, members of Britain’s House of Lords, the country’s upper House the US equivalent of a Senate, will be required to reveal any compensation that they receive from foreign governments including companies in those countries.
A report released in July indicated that several members of the House of Lords “have business interests linked to Russia, or work directly for major Russian companies linked to the Russian state.”
The Daily Mail explains:
Peers in the pay of Russia or China will be forced to reveal their earnings in a long-awaited crackdown.
For the first time members of the House of Lords will have to declare any payments they receive from foreign governments or firms controlled by overseas states.
The rule was proposed by the intelligence and security committee in its damning report on Russian influence over British politics and will be proposed to the upper house by its conduct committee later this month.
It could hit a number of senior peers including former ministers who have worked for companies either run by the Kremlin or linked to allies of Vladimir Putin – but until now have been allowed to keep their earnings secret.
Britain’s House of Lords can debate, change and reject legislation but can’t initiate legislation.
All members of the House of the Lords are appointed (no elections). The House of Lords is made up of 92 hereditary peers or Lords (various noble ranks such as Dukes, Earls and Barons) and is an inherited position (passed down to the children), 26 temporal Lords who serve as Bishops in the Church of England and other who have been appointed for life.
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