Outcry over peerage for UK-Indian lawyer
Saturday, 06/08/2016
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
LONDON: Amid charges of cronyism in British politics after former prime minister David Cameron recommended his aides for peerages and other honours, a row has erupted over Labour proposing a peerage for noted human rights lawyer Shami Chakrabarti.
Banker Jitesh Gadhia is among 13 peerages recommended by Cameron as part of a “resignation honours” tradition of outgoing premiers proposing honours for politicians, advisers and supporters. Prime Minister Theresa May has refused to block his list.
But it is Chakrabarti’s nomination by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn that has hit the most headlines, with some party MPs opposing it. Once opposed to the honours system itself, Corbyn made hers the only recommendation from his party to the House of Lords.
Chakrabarti led a recent Labour inquiry into anti-semitism in the party. Her nomination has been opposed not only by Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson but also by a Jewish group, which believes her nomination compromised the independence of the inquiry.
Watson described her nomination as a “mistake” and told BBC: “The timing is not great for the Labour party. I wasn’t aware, I wasn’t consulted whether Shami was going in. I didn’t know that we’d provided citations for this particular round, and I do think it’s a mistake.”
Marie van der Zyl, vice-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “It is beyond disappointing that Shami Chakrabarti has been offered, and accepted, a peerage from Labour following her so-called ‘independent’ inquiry.
“The report, which was weak in several areas, now seems to have been rewarded with an honour. This ‘whitewash for peerages’ is a scandal that surely raises serious questions about the integrity of Ms Chakrabarti, her inquiry and the Labour leadership.”
