The Liberal Democrats have today announced the names of five new members of the House of Lords. They are:
- Julia Aglionby, Executive Director of the Foundation for Common Land, Professor of Practice at the University of Cumbria, and agricultural valuer
- Hannah Kitching, former NHS physiotherapist, Mayor of Penistone, and former Leader of the Opposition on Barnsley Council
- Tim Leunig, Chief Economist at Nesta, Senior Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Government, Director of Economics at Public First, and former senior civil servant
- Dave McCobb, Liberal Democrat Director of Campaigns who masterminded the party’s best ever election results, and former Hull City Councillor
- Mark Petterson, entrepreneur and pioneer in offshore wind
Congratulations to them all!
You can read more about them here: Five new Lib Dem peers – Liberal Democrats
* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.
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10 Comments
Thank you. Looking forward to working hard to put our principles into action.
It’s as if the private sector doesn’t exist.
Still nothing of a surprise. A Neil – someone I rarely agree with sums up Starmers resignation honours .
“Careers almost entirely in public sector, often taking salaries from several sinecures at once as they work up the greasy taxpayer-funded pole.
Associated with various ‘right-on’ causes.
Largely middle class, London chattering class,Oxbridge well represented (of course)”
Big Business has a constant stream of meetings with Ministers, there’s a Revolving Door of Senior Civil Servants joining Business, there’s a vast Industry of Lobbyists – The Private Sector has far too much influence on Government as it is.
To be fair, though, the only new Lib Dem peer who fully fits Brillo’s characterisation is Tim Leunig.
Alex – can I ask for a link to what Andrew Neil said about me?
@Tim Leunig: Not about you personally; it’s a reference to @Chloe’s post above.
I can’t immediately find a citation for the Andrew Neil quote, which appears to be about the people on the list generally, rather than any specific person or persons.
Follow the link to his twitter account.
It absolutely sums the resignation honours up.
A medieval royal court.
Andrew Neil on X: “Keir Starmer — ever a man of his word til the end. In June 2023 he explicitly ruled out ever indulging in a resignation honours list (BBC Radio 4 Today). Today he’s marked his resignation with 21 peerages, overwhelmingly public-sector/legal jobsworths. Barely a single wealth” / X https://share.google/XiIVWFoGsIN3jK1K2
Andrew Neill thinks of peerages as ‘honours’ and think they should only go to ‘entrepreneurs’ (which he has never been…). But the Lords is nowadays a working chamber, spending far longer than the Commons criticising and amending the details of Bills. Few of the nominees from big business and finance want to devote themselves to that. Experienced city councillors, experts in economic policy or environmental issues, will be much more valuable. People who like to pontificate, like Andrew Neill, are easily bored by detailed evidence and exact terminology…
Thanks Alex and Chloe. FWIW I don’t think these are resignation honours – I think it is just timing coincidence. Whether Starmer comes back with more resignation honours is to be seen. I think we can all agree both with William Wallace – this is a job, not a bauble – and with Andrew Neill, when he says the Lords should be abolished. Good LibDem policy that!