On Friday evening, the government announced 13 new peers, including a prominent supporter of the Conservative party who was reportedly on Boris Johnson’s initial list of honours for resigning. Eight of the new peers are members of the Conservative party.
According to an official statement, Stuart Marks, a tech entrepreneur and former senior treasurer for the Conservative party, has received a life peerage. He has personally contributed £119,500 to the party and an additional £56,500 through his company.
Several reports have listed Marks as one of the nominees for peerages in Prime Minister Johnson’s resignation honours list, along with Members of Parliament such as Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams.
According to reports, Marks, Dorries, and Adams were among multiple names that were taken off the list.
Franck Petitgas, who has served as a special adviser on business and investment to Rishi Sunak, was granted a peerage on Friday evening during the start of a week-long recess for the Commons. He has previously donated £35,000 to the Conservative party.
Additional Conservative peers appointed include Paul Goodman, ex-MP and current editor of ConservativeHome; Rosa Monckton, a businesswoman and advocate for individuals with disabilities; and two prominent local government figures – John Fuller, leader of South Norfolk council, and James Jamieson, former chair of the Local Government Association.
The Labour party put forward four individuals to be considered for peerages. These individuals are Ayesha Hazarika, a former special adviser and broadcaster; John Hannett, the leader of Usdaw shopworkers’ union; and Gerald Shamash, a lawyer who serves as solicitor for the Labour party.
Plaid Cymru selected Carmen Smith, a 27-year-old former chief of staff in the Welsh Senedd, as their nominee for one peer.
The recent additions bring the total number of Lords to nearly 800, with 784 peers currently serving. This makes it the second largest legislative body globally, after China’s National People’s Congress.
Several reports and suggestions have proposed reducing the size of the upper house. In 2017, a committee led by former lord speaker Norman Fowler recommended limiting the number of members to 600 and implementing 15-year terms for new peers.
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Yet, since then, several prime ministers have appointed additional peers, with varying levels of activity and diligence.
In 2022, a study by The Guardian revealed that out of 318 potential meetings, newspaper owner Evgeny Lebedev only attended four, which accounts for 1.25% of the overall number.
Since becoming a peer in November 2019, Lebedev has only spoken twice, for a total of less than 10 minutes, and has not cast any votes.
Source: theguardian.com
