Try GOLD - Free
Iceland boss and swimmer Davies among new peers
The Independent
|December 11, 2025
Olympic Swimming silver medallist Sharron Davies and the boss of the supermarket giant Iceland have been named among dozens of new people nominated for peerages by Sir Keir Starmer.
The prime minister has put forward 25 new members for the House of Lords, including his former director of communications Matthew Doyle and Rachel Reeves’s ex-chief of staff Katie Martin.
After being nominated, the prospective peers need to be vetted by the House of Lords Appointments Commission before they are appointed, usually a formality.
The list of potential new Lords follows staunch opposition from peers to Labour’s flagship Employment Rights Bill.
A Labour source said: “The Tories stuffed the House of Lords, creating a serious imbalance that has allowed them to frustrate our plans to make working families better off. This needs to be corrected to deliver on our mandate from the British people. “

This story is from the December 11, 2025 edition of The Independent.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Independent
The Independent
Why Trump's peacekeeping bids are doomed to failure
The US president claims to have resolved several disputes but experts tell Alex Croft his deals are inherently unstable
4 mins
December 14, 2025
The Independent
Robinson leads rally to 'put Christ back into Christmas'
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson has led a carol concert to “put the Christ back into Christmas”.
1 mins
December 14, 2025
The Independent
Venue apology over use of alleged antisemitic imagery
Rock band Primal Scream have been accused of displaying “grossly antisemitic” imagery at a London concert.
2 mins
December 14, 2025
The Independent
Doctors accuse Streeting of ‘scaremongering’ on strikes
BMA denies that action could push NHS towards collapse
3 mins
December 14, 2025
The Independent
No Channel crossings for 28 days is seven-year record
The UK has recorded the longest period without migrants arriving on small boats crossing the Channel for seven years, official figures show. Before this weekend, no one had completed the perilous crossing for 28 days, since 14 November, according to the latest Home Office data.
1 mins
December 14, 2025
The Independent
Labour MP pushes to ban foxhunting permanently
Parliament-based campaigners to set out 'gold-standard' reforms, including banning trail-hunting
3 mins
December 14, 2025
The Independent
Why try to forecast growth if you always get it wrong?
We are determined to defy the forecasts on growth and create good jobs, so everyone is better off, while also helping us invest in better public services.
3 mins
December 14, 2025
The Independent
Super flu is pushing the NHS 'beyond catastrophe'
In an overrun A&E department, patients line corridors “packed in like sardines” as exhausted medics do their best to avoid falling victim to the “unprecedented” wave of super flu clogging up hospital beds.
7 mins
December 14, 2025
The Independent
'She is awake but does not have a clue what's going on'
Rare brain disease leaves Sienna, 4, facing years of rehab
3 mins
December 14, 2025
The Independent
All forces will have units to tackle rape, says Mahmood
Specialist rape and sex offences investigation teams will be established at every police force by 2029, the government has announced.
2 mins
December 14, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size
