Sue Gray among prominent Catholics to receive peerage

Sue Gray, Thérèse Coffey and Gerard Lemos are among those honoured in the new year list

Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff Sue Gray is among 30 new Labour peers to be named in the new year honours list. Former environment secretary Dame Thérèse Coffey is among six new Conservative peers named by Kemi Badenoch.

The new peers could prove crucial as Labour plans a legislation programme of reform because as it stands, no party has a majority in the Lords. There are 273 Conservatives, of which 45 are hereditary and due to be removed, 187 Labour, 78 Liberal Democrat and 184 cross-bench peers.

Sue Gray, who achieved public recognition as investigator of “partygate”, was appointed chief of staff after the election by Starmer but stepped down in September amid some controversy, being replaced by Morgan McSweeney. She turned down an offer to be Starmer’s envoy to the nations and regions.

Keir Starmer’s nominations also include Gerard Lemos, chair of English Heritage, chair of National Savings and Investments and chair of the London Institute of Banking and Finance.

Prominent Anglican theologian Professor Nigel Biggar, former Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at Oxford, who has argued in support of aspects of colonialism, was nominated for a peerage by Badenoch.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and former England manager Gareth Southgate are among those who will receive knighthoods.

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