A SHAMED peer who has been suspended from the House of Lords for misconduct has been slammed by his former agent. Mike Hobday, Labour parliamentary candidate for Welwyn Hatfield, worked for Peter Truscott, right, before he was elected to

A SHAMED peer who has been suspended from the House of Lords for misconduct has been slammed by his former agent.

Mike Hobday, Labour parliamentary candidate for Welwyn Hatfield, worked for Peter Truscott, right, before he was elected to the European Parliament in 1994.

He said Lord Truscott, who offered to help make changes to legislation in return for �2,000 a day, was "disgraceful".

Mr Hobday said: "The video evidence where Lord Truscott offered to solicit amendments to legislation for money is disgraceful.

"It's a shame he can't be kicked out of Parliament permanently."

On Wednesday last week the former energy minister, along with Lord Taylor of Blackburn, was excluded for six months - until the end of the current parliamentary session - for his part in the "cash-for-amendments" scandal.

They are the first peers to be barred from the House of Lords in more than 350 years.

Both men were found guilty earlier this month by the Lords Committee of Privileges of offering to change the law in return for cash.

Lord Truscott had refuted the allegations made against him and three other Labour peers, Lord Taylor of Blackburn, Lord Moonie and Lord Snape [the latter two who have since been cleared of any wrongdoing] by The Sunday Times in January.

Back then, the 49-year-old, who represented Hertfordshire as an MEP from 1994 to 1999, said: "To suggest I would offer to put down amendments for money is a lie".

Mr Hobday told the WHT he fell out with Lord Truscott, who used to live in Welwyn, before his election in 1994.

He said: "My opinion of him then and now is unrepeatable in a family newspaper.

"We didn't get on.

"He is a disgrace."

A Parliament spokesman said: "The House accepted the committee's recommendations and agreed - without a vote - to the suspension of Lord Taylor of Blackburn and Lord Truscott.