THE disgraced peer who was once chancellor of Bournemouth University faces being suspended from the House of Lords after being jailed for expenses fraud.

Lord Taylor of Warwick, 58, lied during his trial to try to cover up fraudulent claims of more than £11,000 of public cash, Southwark Crown Court was told.

He told the House of Lords members’ expenses office that his main residence was a house in Oxford when he lived in west London.

Lord Taylor never stayed in, and only twice visited, the Oxford property, which was owned by the partner of his half-nephew, Robert Taylor. Now, the man who was chosen from more than 40 candidates to become chancellor of Bournemouth University between 2001 and 2006 faces being barred from the House of Lords when he is released from prison. Although successive ministers have proposed reforms so that errant peers could be expelled, there is no way of removing them other than passing an Act of Parliament.

An investigation by the Clerk of the Parliaments is now expected to resume.

A House of Lords spokeswoman said: “The Committee for Privileges and Conduct will consider these recommendations and report to the House as a whole what action it recommends should be taken, including whether a member be suspended or be required to apologise to the House. It will be for the House as a whole to decide whether to take that action.”

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Saunders said Lord Taylor had thrown away his many positive achievements in public life “not by one stupid action but by a protracted course of dishonesty”.