Labour to get Lords boost as new peers set to be announced – The Irish News

A raft of new peers are set to be announced, with numbers expected to be boosted on Labour’s benches in the House of Lords.

Partygate investigator and Sir Keir’s ex-chief of staff Sue Gray is reportedly among the Labour figures set to be elevated to the Lords this week.

The Sun newspaper reported that Ms Gray could be among 30 new Labour peers appointed.

She came to prominence in 2022 with the report into Downing Street parties, and then became Sir Keir’s chief of staff in opposition before following him into Number 10.

She quit the role in October after a series of internal rows.

Other names whom the paper expected to be given peerages are former MPs Thangam Debbonaire, Julie Elliott, Lyn Brown and Kevin Brennan.

Ms Debbonaire served as the shadow culture secretary but lost her seat at the general election to the Green Party.

On Thursday, a Cabinet minister hinted that a “strong set” of Labour peers could be appointed.

Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, was asked whether Ms Gray could return as a minister if she is given a seat in the Lords as expected.

He told broadcasters that “decisions about Government are for the Prime Minister, not for me, but I would be really pleased – speculation at this stage – to see a really strong set of people come into the House of Lords to help the Government deliver on its agenda”.

Labour has pledged to reform the House of Lords and has already moved to get rid of hereditary peers.

The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill is making its way through the upper chamber.

It cleared its first hurdle in the Lords in December, having already gone through Commons stages.

The Lords has some 800 members, most of whom are life peers, and adding more Labour peers would boost the party’s representation in the chamber.

There are currently 187 Labour peers compared to 273 from the Conservative Party. The Liberal Democrats have 78 and there are 184 crossbenchers.