FORMER Essex County Council leader Lord Hanningfield looks set to finally face trial, after rejecting the opportunity to take his case to the Supreme Court.
The Conservative peer, real name Paul White, was charged in February with six counts of making dishonest claims for travelling allowances.
Last month Hanningfield and three former Labour MPs, who face charges of theft by false accounting, saw their claims that they were protected from prosecution by Parliamentary privilege rejected by Court of Appeal judges in London.
Yesterday, the three ex-Labour MPs, David Chaytor, Elliot Morley and Jim Devine, were refused permission by Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice, to take their cases to the Supreme Court.
But Hanningfield, 69, of West Hanningfield, near Chelmsford, has decided not to pursue a Supreme Court challenge.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article