Lords anger prompts 'crony' inquiry

Tony Blair is facing the strongest attack yet on his power to fill key posts, as MPs move to investigate the entire system of public appointments by Downing Street.

The inquiry, by the cross-party Public Administration Committee, threatens to revive the whole issue of "Tony's cronies".

It has been spurred by Labour's plans for the Lords, amid continued anger that only a small minority of members of the reformed upper house will be elected. The committee investigationis expected to spread from the Lords to regional and local public bodies, such as NHS Trusts and the BBC.

The attack on the plans for the Lords was sharpened by stinging criticism from Lord Wakeham, the Conservative peer who chaired the Royal Commission on reform.

Under the proposals now put forward by ministers, only 120 members of the new upper house, out of a total of up to 600, will be elected. The great majority would be appointed by the party machines or by the Appointments Commission charged with selecting non-political members.

The Appointments Commission chairman, Lord Stevenson, faces close questioning by the committee on how he aims to guarantee that his choices are truly independent. Lord Wakeham said: "I wanted an end to Tony's cronies or any politician's cronies."