Embattled peers bash Black Rod for TV strip

BLACK Rod is being lined up by peers as a scapegoat for the BBC documentary about the Lords which has been doing such damage to the Upper House’s reputation.

Their lordships have been aghast at how the fly-on-the-wall series has revealed expenses-fiddling, Chamber-snoozing and lunchtime-troughing by our unelected legislators.

Guns are turning on Lt Gen David Leakey, the current Black Rod, who was shown in the documentary stripping to his shirt-tails and bare legs to show the BBC cameras how fast he could change into his official garb of tights and knickerbockers.

The sight of this royal officer flashing his pins has been too much for some on the red benches.

‘What was he thinking?’ says one Privy Counsellor. ‘He has brought his high office into low disrepute.’

Leakey has been in the job six years. Will it be curtains for Black Rod? Perhaps he should give himself a bash over the head with his stick, as penance.