Hague considers Tory Party discipline

Hague Considers Sacking MPs Guilty of Sleaze

Powers to sack MPs guilty of sleaze are being considered by new Tory leader William Hague as part of a broader review of party rules.

In return for giving Tory grassroot members a say in future leadership contests, Mr Hague may ask them to surrender some of their rights when it comes to choosing Conservative candidates.

He is also in favour of measures to impose candidates on local parties and powers to discipline those who bring the party into disrepute.

New party chairman Lord Parkinson said the review was in the interests of all parties.

"There's no point in pretending that Parliament is full of people who are angelic, but if people kick over the traces or cross the line, then they have to accept the consequences - that is true whether you are Labour or Liberal or Conservative," he told BBC1's Breakfast with Frost programme.

Lord Parkinson on Breakfast with Frost
More discipline will be in the interest of all parties, says Lord Parkinson
Parkinson: Tory Shadow Cabinet members will toe the line...

Lord Parkinson said: "Obviously it is not good for Parliament to be lowered in the eyes of the people and ways have to be found of preventing that, but I do think there is a danger that the extent of the problem is exaggerated."

Lord Parkinson also said assistance would be given to Lord Nolan's inquiry into political parties, when asked if Mr Hague might ban foreign and anonymous donations.

"We've said as a party we welcome the idea that has been put forward that Nolan should take a look at funding of political parties and we will cooperate with any inquiry that is established and we will stand by the rules that emerge from that inquiry."

Meanwhile, he said he felt the Jonathan Aitken affair was "a personal tragedy" for the former Cabinet minister, who dropped his libel action against the Guardian and Granada TV last week. "We've just seen a man this week break with his wife - he is separated from his wife and children - lose £2 million and...one can't help feeling that this is a tragic business," said Lord Parkinson.