By Mark Wallace
Follow Mark on Twitter.
Earlier this afternoon I wrote about the 14 new Conservative Life Peers who have been appointed to the Lords. In the same announcement, 16 other Peers were created for the Labour Party, the Lib Dems and the Greens (the brief biographies are those from the Downing Street press release):
Green Party
Labour Party
Liberal Democrat Party
There are a few conclusions that can be drawn from this list:
1) The Government still has one eye on the Coalition Agreement – but only to a degree. The elevation of Jenny Jones as the first Green Peer is a nod towards the Coalition's pledge to make the House of Lords more representative of the level of support for smaller parties. Evidently the Greens were felt to be an acceptable route to do so – it's notable that UKIP, who received many more votes than them, did not receive any new Lords or Ladies.
2) The Lib Dems aren't that bothered about the Rennard affair. As Guido notes, Alison Suttie has been caught up in various allegations about how the Lib Dems handled the scandal – but it hasn't prevented her donning the ermine. Not a great sign that they're ever going to take the issue seriously.
3) Londoners will be spared yet another Brian Paddick candidacy for Mayor. Some have cruelly suggested that the only reason he agreed to stand for the second time was because he would get a peerage for his efforts. It must be slightly awkward that Jenny Jones, who will arrive in the Lords at the same time, beat him into a poor 4th place in 2012.
4) Labour will always say one thing and do another. Reportedly, Labour have attacked today's announcement for "increasing the cost of politics". Will their new Peers therefore refuse to take their seats? Somehow, I doubt it…
5) People forget scandals if you wait long enough. Labour Peer Jon Mendelsohn is most recently recognisable from his work trying to nip the the David Abrahams Labour donor scandal in the bud – but he also hit the headlines early in the Blair years, as a character in the Lobbygate scandal. Time, it seems, heals all wounds.