Political Peerages May 2026 - Citations
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Peers Nominated by the Leader of the Labour Party 1. Stephen Benn,
Viscount Stansgate - Labour Peer, Deputy Speaker of the House of
Lords Dr Stephen Benn is a Labour member of the House of Lords. He
is currently a member of the Numeracy for Life Committee, and has
previously served on the UK Engagement with Space Committee, the
Joint Committee for National Security Strategy and the Science and
Technology Committee (among several other committees). A
Deputy...Request free trial
Peers Nominated by the Leader of the Labour Party 1. Stephen Benn, Viscount Stansgate - Labour Peer, Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords Dr Stephen Benn is a Labour member of the House of Lords. He is currently a member of the Numeracy for Life Committee, and has previously served on the UK Engagement with Space Committee, the Joint Committee for National Security Strategy and the Science and Technology Committee (among several other committees). A Deputy Chairman of Committees from 2023 he has since April 2024 sat on the Woolsack as a Deputy Speaker. Stephen entered the Lords in July 2021 as an elected hereditary peer. A graduate of the University of Keele (where he received his Doctorate) Dr Benn served on ILEA from 1981- 1990 and between 1986 and 1990 was an elected member of the Inner London Education Authority chairing its General Purposes Committee. He was Director of Parliamentary Affairs for the Royal Society of Biology from 2011-2021 and from 1988-2011 held the similar role at the Royal Society of Chemistry. He is President of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee (2021-date) and chairs its Advisory Board. He is a Member of the Council and a Trustee of the Parliamentary Science and Technology Foundation (2022-date) and a Trustee and of the Parliamentary Science & Technology Information Foundation. 2. Christopher John Suenson-Taylor (known as John), Lord Grantchester John Suenson-Taylor is a Labour member of the House of Lords. He is currently a member of the European Affairs Committee. Between 2010 and 2022 he was a member of the opposition frontbench, as a whip and then shadow minister for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; the Department of Energy and Climate Change (later the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy); and the Department for International Trade. Since 2022, John has served on Lords committees relating to the Future of Land Use; Statutory Inquiries; and Environment and Climate Change. John entered the Lords in 2003 as an elected hereditary peer. Prior to entering the Lords he was a director of Littlewoods, between 1993 and 1997, and of Everton Football Club from 1994 to 2000, and was a trustee for the charity, Foundation of Sports and the Arts (1997 - 2019). John is a dairy farmer and has served as a council member for the Royal Agricultural Society and otherbodies representative of the rural economy. He has recently been appointed as a trustee of National Museums Liverpool. Crossbench Peers 3. Charles Wellesley, Duke of Wellington. Charles Wellington was elected to the House of Lords in 2015, and since 2019 has sat as a Crossbench peer. He is a member of the Select Committee on European Affairs and previously was a member of the Environment and Climate Change Committee. During the passage of the Environment Act in 2021, he secured Government agreement to a reduction in pollution of rivers and beaches by the Water Companies. Since 2016, he has been a trustee of the Royal United Services Institute and since 2025 is its Chairman. Elected to the European Parliament in 1979, he served two terms. He was Chairman of King's College London from 2007-2016. He is Patron of the King's Maths School and a Governor of Wellington College. He is the guardian of art collections, at Apsley House and Stratfield Saye. He farms in Great Britain and abroad. 4. Nicholas le Poer Trench, Earl of Clancarty Nick Clancarty has been a prominent and experienced voice for the arts, culture and education since joining the House of Lords in 2010. Nick has been instrumental in informing government policy including that which led to free entry to the national museums, and the ratification of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. He regularly participates in legislation, drawing attention recently to the rights of freelance workers during the passage of the Employment Rights Act. Nick has been an officer for numerous all-party parliamentary groups and believes passionately in their importance as a bridge between the public and Parliament. He is a member of the Lord Speaker's Advisory Panel on Works of Art. Outside the House he is a trustee on the board of the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre. He is a practising visual artist, painter and writer. 5. Charles Colville, Viscount Colville of CulrossCharles Colville was elected to the House of Lords in 2011, and has been a deputy speaker since 2023. He has twice sat on the House of Lords Communications and Digital Select Committee whose reports have investigated regulation for tech companies and recently AI and copyright. He speaks on media, digital and cultural issues. He is also a Television Producer. He worked for 27 years at the BBC. On BBC Newsnight he was the Moscow Producer, during the fall of the Soviet Union, and On-the-day editor. He became the BBC's New York producer before work on BBC Science series ‘Horizon' and history series. Since 2016 he has been freelance Series Producer working for UK and American broadcasters. He is a trustee of the Museum of the Home. 6. Richard Denison, Lord Londesborough Richard Londesborough became a Crossbench member of the House of Lords in 2021, winning a whole-house by-election. He has served on the Economic Affairs Committee since 2023 and speaks regularly on the economy, business (especially SMEs), international affairs, health, media and sport. He worked as a journalist in Iran (1978) and Mexico (1982), before setting up Latin America Monitor, in 1984, which grew and developed into Business Monitor International, covering political and economic risk across global emerging markets. His company won the Queen's Award for Exports in 1997 and grew from two co-founders to 300 staff, with clients in over 100 countries before being acquired by Fitch Ratings in 2014. Since then, Richard has advised and invested in a wide range of start-ups, and is Chair of Tussell, the market intelligence platform. 7. Simon Russell, Lord Russell of Liverpool Simon Russell was elected to the House of Lords in December 2014. Simon was previously a head-hunter for 31 years, principally as a Partner at Spencer Stuart, retiring in 2017. He is now dedicated fully to his work in the House of Lords, focusing on legislation affecting children and young people across adoption, fostering and the care system; violence against women and girls and stalking; and online safety. He was the crossbench Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 2018-2024. He was appointed a Deputy Speaker in 2020. He is currently a member of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Committee, an alternate member of the Procedure and Privileges Committee, and previously served on the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny, EU Internal Market and EU Goods Committees. He is aTrustee of the Foundling Museum, a Governor of Coram and is a Patron of Cavell and The Place. 8. Daniel Mosley, Lord Ravensdale Daniel Ravensdale is a Crossbench member of the House of Lords. He entered the Lords in April 2019 and has served on three Committees including the Environment and Climate Change Committee. Daniel led the successful proposal for a special inquiry into social mobility in 2024. This led to the formation of the Social Mobility Policy Committee which reported in 2025. He has achieved a wide range of successful amendments to legislation, including implementing climate duties into the Levelling up and Regeneration Act and enabling access to renewable fuel obligation schemes for additional clean energy sources through the Energy Act 2023. Daniel is the vice chair of the board of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology and a Director of Peers for the Planet, an environmental non-profit. He is a Chief Engineer at AtkinsRéalis, a leading international engineering consultancy with 20 years of experience in the nuclear and defence industries. 9. Godfrey Bewicke-Copley, Lord Cromwell Godfrey Cromwell is a Crossbench member of the House of Lords. He rejoined the House in 2014, and since then has served on the Industry and Regulators, EU, EU Justice, Finance and Audit and Risk Committees. He successfully proposed a special inquiry into the UK's engagement with space in 2025. In the House his work covers a wide range of issues including anti-SLAPPs legislation, whistleblowing, international aid, digital asset regulation and rural crime. He is member of the Executive Committee of the British Group of the Interparliamentary Union. Outside the House, he was executive chair of Baking Competition Remedies, which placed £750m into challenger banks and financial technology, has lived and worked and Asia, has 30+ years business experience in UK agriculture and environmental programmes, and has 20 years experience providing election observer teams for OSCE. 10. Richard Gilbey, Lord Vaux of Harrowden. Richard Vaux has been a crossbench member of the House of Lords since 2017. He has served on multiple select committees, including the EU Financial Affairs Committee, the EU Services Committee, the Fraud Act 2006 and Digital Fraud Committee (which he wasinstrumental in creating), and the House of Lords Commission. He was Chairman of the House of Lords Finance Committee from 2021 to 2024. He is currently deputy chair of the bicameral Restoration & Renewal Programme Board, and a member of the Financial Services Regulation Committee. Working across the House, he has been influential in improving many Bills, notably two Economic Crime Bills, the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill and the Financial Services and Markets Bill. A Chartered Accountant, he has had an international business career in the software and technology industry. A farmer in Galloway, he is active in environmental matters, particularly river and peatland restoration. 11. John Pakington, Lord Hampton John Hampton is a Crossbench member of the House of Lords. He is on the Numeracy for Life Committee and was formally on the Social Mobility Policy and Pre Term Birth Committees. He joined the House of Lords in October 2022 whilst head of Design and Technology at Mossbourne Community Academy in East London, where he still teaches one day a week. He uses that experience in the House, speaking on education and all issues related to children and young adults. A keen member of the Lords & Commons Cricket Club, he is also a graduate of the Army and Navy sections of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme and belongs to various APPGs dealing with education, children's social care and the arts. He is a trustee of the Elephant Group, an educational charity aiming to get students from disadvantaged backgrounds into top universities. Peers Nominated by the Leader of the Conservative Party 12. Edward Grigg, Lord Altrincham Lord Altrincham has been a member of the House of Lords since 2021. He served on the House of Lords Finance Committee (2022 – 2024), Integration of Primary and Community Care Committee (2023), Finance Bill Sub-Committee (2023-2024 and 2025-26), Industry and Regulators Committee (2024 – 2025) and now serves as a shadow Treasury Minister. He was educated at Oxford University and worked for Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse.He advised HM Treasury on the recapitalisation of the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2008 and was a non-executive director of the Co-Operative Bank (2020-24). 13. Mark Cubitt, Lord Ashcombe Lord Ashcombe has been a member of the House since 2022. He currently sits on the Environment and Climate Change Committee. His background is in civil engineering, having got a degree in Civil Engineering from Imperial College London. Lord Ashcombe now works as a managing director of Marsh Ltd, the leading insurance broking and risk management firm, in the Energy and Power Division. He is an associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute. 14. Ralph Stonor, Lord Camoys Lord Camoys joined the House of Lords in 2023. He started his career at Andersen Consulting, moved into private equity with 3i plc, then served with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He worked on Afghanistan and Iran in the Middle East Department, was posted to India and lastly worked in the Counter Terrorism Policy Department. He lived in Beijing from 2010 to 2015 and established Quercus Associates Limited and Ilex Partners Limited, businesses advising global investors in Asian Markets. In 2021 he co-founded Marlow Studios, a new 18 sound stage film studio in Buckinghamshire. He has been involved with nature conservation and development in the Himalayas for over 30 years and is Chairman of Nepal Nature Trust, a UK registered Charity, and is an International Member of the Governing Board of Trustees of Nepal's National Trust for Nature Conservation. 15. Jonathan Berry, Viscount Camrose Viscount Camrose is the Shadow Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology in the House of Lords. He has been a member of the House of Lords since 2022 and formerly served as Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology (2023 – 2024) and on the AI in Weapon Systems Committee (2023). His background is in business and communications, having previously worked as the Lead for Change Management of Digital Transformations at BP and Shell, and European Practice Director for Expressworks Consulting Ltd. 16. Patrick Courtown, Earl of CourtownThe Earl of Courtown is the Deputy Chief Whip of the Opposition in the House of Lords and a member of the House of Lords Finance Committee. He has been a member of the House of Lords since 1979 and formerly served as the Government Deputy Chief Whip (2016 – 2024), Government Whip (1995 – 1997 and 2015 – 2016), and as a member of the Hybrid Instruments Committee (1999 – 2001), Inheritance and Trustees' Powers Bill Committee (2013), and Digital Skills Committee (2014 – 2015). The Earl of Courtown is also a patron of the Stroud Court Community Trust, a home providing long term support for autistic adults. 17. Rupert Ponsonby, Lord De Mauley Lord De Mauley has been a member of the House of Lords since 2005. He is currently a member of the International Relations and Defence Committee, having recently finished a term as its Chairman. He also sits on the Lord Speaker's Advisory Panel on Works of Art. He has previously served as a Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2012 – 2015) and a Government Whip (2010 – 2012). He has also previously been a member of the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (2022 – 2025), the EU Financial Affairs Sub- Committee (2016 – 2019), the Trade Union Political Funds and Political Party Funding Committee (2016), the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Bill Committee (2011) and the Joint Committee on Security (2010 – 2012). Lord De Mauley is a retired Reserve Army Officer who served as Master of the Horse to Queen Elizabeth II and for the coronation of King Charles III. 18. Edward Howard, Earl of Effingham The Earl of Effingham is one of the most active members of the House of Lords. He serves as an Opposition Whip who regularly steps in as a relief shadow minister across all departments. He has been a member of the House of Lords since 2022 and prior to that he worked for 23 years in finance at ANZ Investment Bank, Barclays Investment Bank and Mizuho Bank. 19. Giles Goschen, Viscount Goschen Viscount Goschen has been a member of the House of Lords since 1988. Between 1994 and 1997 he served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, and Minister for Aviation and Shipping. He had previously served as a Government Whip (1992 – 1994),acting as a spokesman in the House of Lords for a number of government departments. He is currently a member of the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee, and the Procedure and Privileges Committee. Since leaving government in 1997, his career has encompassed investment banking, philanthropy, executive search and business consulting. Between 2005 and 2025 he worked with Korn Ferry, concentrating on senior executive and non-executive appointments. Since 2025 he has worked with Westbury Partners, a strategic advisory consultancy. In his early career, he was involved with wildlife conservation, rural development and tourism organisations in Zambia, and subsequently served on the board of a charity supporting these goals. 20. Jasset Gore, Lord Harlech Lord Harlech entered the House of Lords in 2021. He currently serves on the House of Lords Procedure and Privileges Committee and Social Mobility Policy Committee. He previously served as a Government Whip (2022 – 2024) covering business for the Ministry of Defence, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, His Majesty's Treasury and the Wales Office. He has previously served on the House of Lords Land Use in England Committee (2022) and Electronic Trade Documents Bill Committee (2022 – 2023). Lord Harlech has been an active and serving Army Reserve Officer since 2019 with 1st Battalion London Guards. This has included a secondment to the Directorate of Personnel in Army Headquarters, focusing on retention initiatives in the Army Reserve. He is a director of Historic Houses and was formerly a Historic Houses Wales Committee Member from 2020 to 2022. 21. Frederick Curzon, Earl Howe Earl Howe is the longest continuously serving Conservative frontbencher, amassing 35 years of service on the frontbench in the House of Lords. He is currently the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords and a member of the Liaison Committee and the Procedures and Privileges Committee. He has been a member of the House of Lords since 1984 and has formerly served as the Deputy Leader of the House of Lords (2015 – 2024), Minister of State for Defence (2015 – 2019), Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Quality, Department of Health (2010 – 2015); Opposition Spokesman for Health andSocial Care (1997-2010); Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (1995-97); Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1992-95); and Government Whip (1991-92). 22. Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, Earl of Minto The Earl of Minto is the Shadow Defence Minister in the House of Lords. He has been a member of the House of Lords since 2022 and formerly served as a Minister of State for Business and Trade (2023) and Minister of State for Defence (2023-2024). His background is in business, and he was previously the chief executive of Paperchase. 23. Colin Moynihan, Lord Moynihan Lord Moynihan is the Shadow Minister for Energy and Net Zero in the Lords. He was formerly MP for Lewisham East (1983-1992), when he was Minister for Sport (1987-1990) and for Energy (1990-1992). In the Lords, he has been a Shadow Senior Foreign Affairs Spokesman and Shadow Sports Minister. He has served on the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee, Arctic Committee and Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Committee. Lord Moynihan was President of the Oxford Union, Chair of the World Youth Summit, Patron of the British Wind Energy Association, Chair of the UK Renewable Energy Group, Chair of the British Olympic Association and a Board member for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games. He is a recipient of the Olympic Order. He was a Rowing Silver Medallist at the 1980 Olympic Games. Lord Moynihan is also Chair of Amey and the Acteon Group. 24. Aeneas MacKay, Lord Reay Lord Reay has been a member of the House of Lords since 2019. He is a long-serving Conservative Party Whip, a role he fulfilled when we were in Government as well as now in Opposition. He has previously been a member of the House of Lords Finance Committee (2023 - 2026), Industry and Regulators Committee (2021 – 2024) and the Bishops Stortford Cemetery Bill Committee (2023). His career outside of Parliament has been in investment banking at Robert Fleming & Co and JP Morgan in London and New York, following which he co-founded the boutique corporate finance firm Montrose Partners LLP (now Merlin Partners). He is also the Chair of the not-for-profit Fashion Minority Alliance.25. Massey Lopes, Lord Roborough Lord Roborough has been a Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since July 2024. He formerly served as a Government Whip (2023 – 2024) and as a member on the Finance Bill Sub-Committee (2023) and Arbitration Bill Committee (2024). He entered the House in October 2022. He previously worked for 17 years as a technology, industrials and energy investment analyst and manager at London based asset management companies. Prior to that he spent 10 years as an investment analyst at a number of investment banks focusing mostly on technology and medical technology companies. He is also a livestock and dairy farmer, forester, and has significant experience in energy transition technologies and natural capital markets. 26. Thomas Galbraith, Lord Strathclyde Lord Strathclyde is a former Leader of the Conservative Party in the House of Lords, a position he held for fifteen years from 1998 to 2013. He is currently Chairman of the House of Lords Constitution Committee and a member of the Retirement and Participation Committee. He has served in a number of Government roles, including Leader of the House of Lords and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (2010 – 2013), Chief Whip (1994 - 1997), Minister for Trade (1993 – 1994), Minister for the Environment (1992 – 1993), Minister for Scotland (1990 – 1992), Minister for Employment (1989 - 1990) and Government Whip (1988 – 1989). He is currently Chair of Hampden Agencies in Lloyd's of London and its parent company Hampden Holdings. He has formerly been a Senior Strategic Advisor to the Battersea Power Station Development Co, Chair of Raytheon UK, and an advisor to the boards of JCB, PWC, and Ferrero. |
