Starmer expected to appoint 25 new peers in push to 'rebalance' Lords

Keir Starmer is putting the finishing touches to a list of dozens of new peerages aimed at strengthening Labour's hand in the Lords, with Rachel Reeves's outgoing chief of staff expected to be among them.

- Eleni Courea Pippa Crerar

The prime minister is planning to publish his list before Christmas, and a number of other former senior advisers, Labour party staff and former union leaders are expected to be on it, the Guardian has been told by multiple sources briefed on the plans.

About 25 new peers are expected to be created, joining the 30 new members of the House of Lords who were on Starmer's list last December, including Sue Gray after the former civil servant's brief spell as the Downing Street chief of staff.

The Conservatives are also expected to appoint a handful of new peers. Reform UK is not expected to have any, despite a request from Nigel Farage. Farage wrote to the prime minister in August saying he wanted to appoint peers "at the earliest possible opportunity" but a Reform source said he had received no response.

Katie Martin, who was Reeves's chief of staff for almost five years, is expected to be made a Labour peer despite a chaotic run-up to the budget, two sources with knowledge of the list said.