Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing renewed accusations of cronyism as he prepares to appoint a significant number of Labour advisers and staffers to the House of Lords.
Strengthening Labour's Upper House Presence
The Prime Minister is reportedly ready to hand peerages to dozens of political allies. The move is seen as an effort to bolster his party's presence in the upper chamber, where Labour currently lacks a majority. According to reports, Sir Keir aims to create 25 new peers. This comes just a year after he awarded 30 titles to former MPs and senior party figures, including his ex-chief of staff, Sue Gray.
Key Figures in Line for Peerages
Among those tipped for elevation is Matthew Doyle, the former Downing Street director of communications who resigned in March after only nine months in the role. A source described his peerage as a 'dead cert'.
Also believed to be offered a seat in the Lords is Katie Martin, the outgoing chief of staff to Chancellor Rachel Reeves. This is despite the recent controversy surrounding the Budget. Ms Martin is being replaced by one of Sir Keir's closest allies, Ben Nunn.
Further names on the list include Paddy Lillis, former general secretary of the trade union Usdaw, and veteran Labour aide Carol Linforth. Ms Linforth notably assisted Sir Keir when he was 'glitter-bombed' during a party conference speech two years ago.
Political Backlash and Consequences
The plans have drawn sharp criticism from political opponents. A Conservative Party source told the Daily Mail: 'Union paymasters, Labour apparatchiks and those responsible for this Government's disasters all being handed rewards tells you everything you need to know about Keir Starmer.'
The source added that while the public faces economic challenges, the government is engaging in 'more cronyism and more reward for failure'.
Sir Keir's strategy would help rebalance the Lords, where Labour currently has 210 peers compared to the Conservatives' 283. The government recently had to abandon part of its workers' rights legislation to get it through the Lords and expects fierce opposition to plans for curtailing jury trials.
It is understood that the House of Lords Appointments Commission has not yet approved the list. While the Tories are expected to appoint a handful of new peers, Reform UK is not anticipated to receive any, despite a request from Nigel Farage in August.
Downing Street declined to comment on the reports.
