New Peerages Announced in the House of Lords: A Look at the Appointees and the Process
4 min read
The House of Lords, an independent chamber of the United Kingdom’s Parliament, has recently seen the appointment of 13 new peers. These appointments, which were announced during a parliamentary recess, include several donors to the Conservative Party, the youngest ever member of the House of Lords, and nominees from other political parties. In this article, we will delve into the details of these appointments, the process behind them, and the roles and responsibilities of the House of Lords.
The list of new appointees includes Stuart Marks, a Conservative treasurer who has donated £119,500 to the party since 2013, and Paul Goodman, the editor of Tory news site Conservative Home. Franck Petitgas, Rishi Sunak’s business and investment adviser and former president of Morgan Stanley International, who has donated £35,000 to the Tory party, is also on the list. The Conservative list also includes Charles Banner KC, a leading barrister who was pictured watching cricket with Rishi Sunak at Lords last summer.
Rosa Monckton, the disability campaigner and founder of Tiffany & Co, and Peter Booth, a design and retail businessman and national chairman of the Conservative National Convention, are also among the new peers. Labour’s nominations include the former union boss John Hannett, the broadcaster and former adviser to Gordon Brown, Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband, Ayesha Hazarika, Labour’s solicitor Gerald Shamash, and Jane Ramsey, the party’s former standards and ethics adviser.
One of the most notable appointees is Carmen Smith, a former Plaid Cymru adviser, who will become the youngest peer in the chamber at the age of 27. Her age at appointment beats Charlotte Owen, a former adviser to Boris Johnson, by three years. Ms Smith said, “Alongside our MPs, I will be fighting for a fair deal for Wales and holding this and future UK governments to account. I will be unashamed in advocating for a fairer, more sustainable, and ultimately independent future for Cymru. As a young woman, I will work to inspire the next generation of women to take an active role in our communities and our nation.”
The House of Lords is an independent chamber of the United Kingdom’s Parliament, which is separate from the House of Commons, where 650 Members of Parliament debate and vote on new laws. Members of the Lords, known as “peers,” scrutinize the work of the government and recommend changes to proposed legislation. Unlike MPs, however, peers are not elected. The majority are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. While many peers have worked in politics, including some former MPs, others are experts in areas such as science or the arts. Most peers stay in the Lords for life, although some choose to retire.
The appointment of new peers is a process that involves the prime minister and the monarch. The prime minister advises the monarch on who to appoint as a peer. The monarch then approves the appointment by issuing a letter of patent, which confirms the appointment and grants the new peer the title of “lord” or “lady.” The appointment of new peers can occur at any time, but it is often done during a parliamentary recess to avoid the media attention that comes with such appointments during the parliamentary session.
The role of the House of Lords is to scrutinize the work of the government and recommend changes to proposed legislation. Peers have the power to amend bills, delay their passage, or even reject them altogether. They also have the power to question government ministers and hold them to account for their actions. The House of Lords is an important part of the United Kingdom’s democratic system, as it provides a check on the power of the government and ensures that the voices of experts and representatives of different communities are heard in the legislative process.
In conclusion, the recent appointment of 13 new peers to the House of Lords is an important development in the United Kingdom’s political landscape. These appointments include several donors to the Conservative Party, the youngest ever member of the House of Lords, and nominees from other political parties. The process behind these appointments involves the prime minister and the monarch, and the role of the House of Lords is to scrutinize the work of the government and recommend changes to proposed legislation. The appointment of new peers provides a check on the power of the government and ensures that the voices of experts and representatives of different communities are heard in the legislative process.
