Life peerages for excluded hereditary peers

[David Beamish]

The following has appeared today on the Prme Minister's Office website (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/political-peerages-may-2026):

The King has been graciously pleased to signify His intention of conferring Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life upon the undermentioned:
Peers nominated by the Leader of the Labour Party
Stephen Benn, The Viscount Stansgate
Christopher John Suenson-Taylor, The Lord Grantchester
Crossbench Peers
Charles Wellesley, The Duke of Wellington OBE DL
Nicholas le Poer Trench, The Earl of Clancarty
Charles Colville, The Viscount Colville of Culross
Richard Denison, The Lord Londesborough
Simon Russell, The Lord Russell of Liverpool
Daniel Mosley, The Lord Ravensdale
Godfrey Bewicke-Copley, The Lord Cromwell
Richard Gilbey, The Lord Vaux of Harrowden
John Pakington, The Lord Hampton
Peers nominated by the Leader of the Conservative Party
Sebastian Grigg, The Lord Altrincham
Mark Cubitt, The Lord Ashcombe
William Stonor, The Lord Camoys
Jonathan Berry, The Viscount Camrose
Patrick Courtown, The Earl of Courtown
Rupert Ponsonby, The Lord de Mauley KCVO TD FCA
Edward Effingham, The Earl of Effingham
Giles Goschen, The Viscount Goschen
Jasset Ormsby-Gore, The Lord Harlech
The Rt Hon Frederick Penn, The Earl Howe GBE PC
Timothy Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, The Earl of Minto
Colin Moynihan, The Lord Moynihan
Aeneas Mackay, The Lord Reay
Massey Lopes, The Lord Roborough
The Rt Hon Thomas Galbraith, The Lord Strathclyde CH PC

[sven_me...@web.de]

The big mistake we know would come.

[bx...@yahoo.com]

Do we know why these particular peers were selected over others?

And are there any surprises who were left out?

Thanks.

Brooke

[sven_me...@web.de]

I think many from the younger ones 

[S. S.]

Isn't prospective Wellington the first duke to be given a life peerage? I don't think a Marquess has received a life peerage before. 

S.S.

[LoopyCrown3]

The 13th Marquess of Lothian was made Baron Kerr of Monteviot in 2010.

[colinp]

The 7th Marquess of Salisbury was cr Lord Gascoyne-Cecil in 1999

[Paul Theroff]

See discussion of Salisbury's case here:

https://groups.google.com/g/peerage-news/c/leeq8Jhsw0o/m/8wwg_odHAgAJ

Techincally he was not yet a marquess when he got a life peerage.

[Paul Theroff]

There may be no previous case of a Duke receiving a LOWER Life Peerage, but of course there have been DUKEDOMS for Life... e.g., Duchess of Portsmouth, Duchess of Kendal and Munster, etc.

[Ivan Prekajski]

All of this is so stupid and it has been since 1999.  Why just not abolish house of peers already? It is going in that way. 

[sven_me...@web.de]

I agree

[https:/www.LeighRayment.com.au]

I was hoping since they cut out hereditary Peerages that any one of them would have been able to contest a Lower House seat as an individual. Seems not or am I wrong ?

Next question, this list, will they all receive a Life Barony or a corresponding title, for example for the Duke of Wellington, a life Duke or a life Baron. In this case, if the Duke receives a Life Barony, will he be known as Lord Wellington or his Grace, the Duke of Wellington ??

[Richard R]

To your first question, I believe peers who cease to be members of the House of Lords (ie those peers who are not to be life peers) will be able to stand for membership of the House of Commons.

To your second question, the last life peerage above the degree of baron (before that of Edinburgh in 2023) was the earldom of Brandon on 15 Sep 1758 to Ellis widow of Francis Bermingham Baron Athenry. (Source CP v8 app C 'Life Peerages').

The recent creation of the Dukedom of Edinburgh did not give Prince Edward a seat in the House of Lords. If he applied to take his seat, it would be rejected. The 1958 Act specifically states life peerages with a seat in the Lord should be in the degree of Baron.

[https:/www.LeighRayment.com.au]

Thank you very much for the clarification.

[S. S.]

If you follow precedent, all will be given peerages at the rank of a barony as per the Life Peerages Act 1958 to enable them to have a seat in the House of Lords, as Richard R pointed out above. I see no reason why they would depart from that convention. As far as I am aware, peers just go by their higher title in Parliament and are referenced as such even if they hold a title that enabled them to have a seat in the first place. 

S.S.

[malcolm davies]

One interesting conundrum is if an heritary peer not on the roll is given a life peerage.I haven’t been able to examine the letters patent for Lord Kerr of Monteviot,but I suspect they refer to his senior hereditary tiltle.If so,do the letters patent constitute a recognition of the hereditary title regardless of the Roll of the Peerage?

[David Beamish]

Letters patent are normally set out in the House of Lords Journal on the day of introduction. Here is the text for Lord Kerr of Monteviot (introduced 22 November 2010):

ELIZABETH THE SECOND by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen Head of the Commonwealth
Defender of the Faith To all Lords Spiritual and Temporal and all other Our Subjects whatsoever to
whom these Presents shall come Greeting Know Ye that We of Our especial grace certain knowledge
and mere motion in pursuance of the Life Peerages Act 1958 and of all other powers in that behalf Us
enabling do by these Presents advance create and prefer Our right trusty and entirely beloved Cousin
and Counsellor Michael Andrew Foster Jude Marquess of Lothian one of Our Counsel learned in the
Law to the state degree style dignity title and honour of Baron Kerr of Monteviot of Monteviot in
Roxburghshire
And for Us Our heirs and successors do appoint give and grant unto him the said name state degree
style dignity title and honour of Baron Kerr of Monteviot to have and to hold unto him for his life
Willing and by these Presents granting for Us Our heirs and successors that he may have hold and
possess a seat place and voice in the Parliaments and Public Assemblies and Councils of Us Our heirs
and successors within Our United Kingdom amongst the Barons And also that he may enjoy and use
all the rights privileges pre-eminences immunities and advantages to the degree of a Baron duly and of
right belonging which Barons of Our United Kingdom have heretofore used and enjoyed or as they do
at present use and enjoy
In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourself at
Westminster the 22nd day of November in the fifty-ninth year of Our Reign
BY WARRANT UNDER THE QUEEN’S SIGN MANUAL

[sven_me...@web.de]

Wellington is the oldest.Nobody else ovber 75.