The 45 new Peers appointed on Thursday by Prime Minister David Cameron has once again raised questions about the credibility and expense of the House of Lords. The new arrivals take the Upper House membership to about 830, including appointment of two new Asian Women Peers and many former MPs, party advisers and donors.
The Tory appointments which numbers 26, includes the name of the only Asian woman CEO in a FTSE 250 company, Ruby McGregor Smith CBE. She joined Mitie as the Group Financial Director in 2002, and was appointed the CEO in 2007. Born in Lucknow, India, Mrs Smith was honoured with a CBE in 2012 and received the Woman of the Year Award at the Asian Achievers Awards in the year 2011. (The Awards that are hosted by Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar are now in its 15th year and will be held at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel on 18th September).
Shas Sheehan, a Liberal Democrat candidate for the 2015 election from Wimbledon has also been honoured with a Peerage. She was born in Lahore, Pakistan and is also a former Councillor for Kew. Shas is famous for being deeply involved in several community groups.
Besides, Ruby and Shas, other Asian names in the “dissolution honours” include Ramesh Chabra a special adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer - will be conferred the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for public service.
Ameetpal Gill who is director of strategy at 10 Downing Street has also received the same honour.
Lalini Phoolchand - deputy head of the direct communications unit, 10 Downing Street has been honoured with an MBE for public service.
Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, the Liberal Democrat councillor from Sheffield has also been honoured with an MBE. He was born in Kashmir but grew up in Sheffield in 1980s.
Critics question HoL appointments
Defenders of the Lords have pointed out that the new occupants include many people with successful careers in the military, business or academia.
But critics have attacked the decision, stating that the House can only manage upto 270 Peers at the most. They have also hinted at the past expenses scandal and have raised fresh concerns about peers who hardly participatein the Lords debates. They believe, accordingto the current rate of growth, the chamber could soon have almost 1,000 occupants.The PM has also been accused of “bringing Parliament into disrepute” for elevating Douglas Hogg, the former Tory MP who quit the Commons in disgrace over an expenses claim for his moat.
The national newspaper Daily Mirror has joined the critics, and been backed by 10,000 readers supporting the campaign demanding the unelected House of Lords to be abolished. The Mirror delivered five huge sacks of letters to Downing Street, calling on Number 10 to listen to the nation’s demands.
Despite the Conservatives getting more than half of the new peerages, the party is still at a relative disadvantage in the Lords — at least when compared with its majority in the Commons. The appointments take the parties’ total to 252 Tory peers, 219 for Labour and 112 for the Lib Dems, as well as 179 cross-benchers.
Labour this time has received eight peerages, with the former cabinet ministers Alistair Darling, Peter Hain and David Blunkett among the nominees. Tessa Jowell, a possible Labour candidate for London mayor, also joins the House of Lords.
The Liberal Democrats received more peerages than Labour in the “dissolution honours”, reflecting their involvement in the previous government — since when they have been reduced to only eight MPs.
Their 11 new peers include three knights — Sir Alan Beith, Sir Menzies Campbell and Sir Malcolm Bruce.
Separately, Dr Vince Cable, former business secretary, and Danny Alexander, former chief secretary to the Treasury, were both knighted on Wednesday.
Andrew Sangar, Councillor, Sheffield City Council and lately Election Agent to Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, has received an MBE for his political service.
The House of Lords dates as far back as the 11th Century and what was called the witenagemot, an Anglo-Saxon council to the King made up of nobles, church leaders and landowners. Its role was to propose and discuss new laws.
By the 14th Century, it had officially split into two groups, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
This is when the right to peerage was introduced. Historically, the House of Lords had greater power than the Commons but as democracy took root that lessened. However, that has not stopped more and more Lords being named.
