N.Wales-based supermarket chain boss among new Lords

NOMINATION AMONG 25 FROM PRIME MINISTER

- By DAVID LYNCH and ALEX HICKEY

Chairman of the Iceland food chain Richard Walker (left), pictured with Sir Keir Starmer, is among the 25 people nominated for a peerage by the Prime Minister this week

THE chairman of the Deeside-based supermarket chain Iceland, Richard Walker, and Matthew Doyle, a former Number 10 director of communications, have been nominated for a peerage by the Prime Minister.

Katie Martin, a former senior adviser to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, is also among the 25 nominations from Sir Keir Starmer, according to a list published by No 10 on Wednesday.

The series of Labour appointments to Parliament’s upper chamber comes as the Government has faced staunch opposition from peers over its flagship workers’ rights legislation.

Meanwhile, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has nominated former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, who in recent years has become a women’s rights activist in the debate over trans rights.

Sir Michael Barber, who served in the Blair government’s delivery unit, and returned to Sir Keir’s Government as an adviser last year, is also on Labour's list of nominations.