Political Peerages 2020

The Queen has been graciously pleased to signify Her intention of conferring Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life upon the undermentioned:

Nominations from the Leader of the Conservative Party:

1. Rt Hon Sir Richard Benyon – former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and MP for Newbury.
2. Peter Cruddas – businessman and philanthropist.
3. Dame Jacqueline Foster – formerly Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party in the European Parliament and Member of the European Parliament for North West England.
4. Stephanie Fraser – Chief Executive of Cerebral Palsy Scotland.
5. Dean Godson – Director of Policy Exchange.
6. Daniel Hannan – formerly Member of the European Parliament for South East England.
7. Syed Kamall – formerly Leader of the Conservative Party in the European Parliament and Member of the European Parliament for London.

Nominations from the Leader of the Labour Party:

1. Cllr Judith Blake CBE – Leader of Leeds City Council.
2. Jennifer Chapman – formerly Member of Parliament for Darlington.
3. Vernon Coaker – formerly Minister of State for Schools and Member of Parliament for Gedling.
4. Wajid Khan – formerly Member of the European Parliament for North West England.
5. Gillian Merron – Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, former Minister of State for Public Health and Member of Parliament for Lincoln.

Nominations for Crossbench Peerages:

1. Sir Terence Etherton PC QC – Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice.
2. Sir Simon McDonald KCMG KCVO – lately Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service.
3. Sir Andrew Parker KCB – lately Director General of MI5, the Security Service.
4. The Rt Revd. And Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu – lately Archbishop of York.

The House of Lords Appointments Commission was invited by the Prime Minister to undertake vetting of all party political and cross bench nominations. The Commission is an independent non statutory body. It provides advice, but appointments are a matter for the Prime Minister. The Commission has completed its vetting in respect of all nominees. The Commission advised the Prime Minister that it could not support one nominee – Peter Cruddas. The Prime Minister has considered the Commission’s advice and wider factors, and concluded that, exceptionally, the nomination should proceed. The Prime Minister wrote to the Chair of the Commission on 21 December. This letter can be found here.