BNP ban bid stalls; PARLIAMENT: Lords demands more time.

PLANS aimed at stopping BNP leader Nick Griffin accessing Parliament were held up yesterday in the House of Lords.

Peers argued the move, which would deny Parliamentary passes to the UK's MEPs, was a "messy shoddy little administrative proposal" and unanimously demanded further consideration of the matter. MPs last month agreed the plan which was designed to prevent Mr Grif-fin and his fellow party MEP Andrew Brons having an automatic right to access the Parliamentary estate.

But to take effect the decision required the Lords to take a similar step and the House Committee, which oversees the administration of the Lords, had recommended peers echo the move of the Commons.

Lord Brabazon of Tara, who heads up the administration of the Lords, said: "As both Houses have the power to issue security passes, the decision to deny MEPs security passes to access the Parliamentary estate can only take effect if this House also stops granting passes."

But Labour peer Lord Tomlinson's motion to ask the committee to give the matter "further consideration" was agreed by peers without a vote.

He said: "We challenge the right of the Commons to make unilateral decision on all sorts important legislative proposals."

He added: "Surely we are entitled to say to the Commons: look at this rather messy shoddy little administrative proposal to deny passes to members of the European Parliament who have enjoyed them for the last 29 years without, as far as I'm aware, having produced any problems."