Blair silent on election of Lords and ministerial loans

12.00.00am GMT Wed 22nd Mar 2006

Sir Menzies Campbell MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats

At Prime Minister's Question Time this afternoon, Sir Menzies Campbell MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, challenged the Prime Minister on the reform of the House of Lords and on the whether a minister lending money to the governing political party was a conflict of interests.

Tony Blair did not state his personal views on the election of the Lords, merely insisting he would listen to the debate.

He did not directly answer the question on ministerial loans representing a conflict of interests, but simply said Hayden Phillips should be allowed to oversee how the system might change.