Sara Hyde is heading to the House of Lords, parliament’s unelected second chamber

A FAMILIAR face will be swapping the Town Hall benches for a rather more glamorous seat in the New Year, after being appointed to parliament’s unelected second chamber, writes Isabel Loubser.

Councillor Sara Hyde, Islington Council’s health and social care chief, is among those this week to have been handed a place in the House of Lords by the prime minister.

Sir Keir Starmer, who had previously pledged to abolish the Lords as part of his leadership campaign, announced 25 new Labour peers on Wednesday.

The lifelong position, holders of which can claim £371 for each day they attend, has often drawn criticism from those who argue for electoral reform.

They say that the appointment process is unfair and used to reward political allies.

Cllr Hyde is chair of the Fabian Society, an influential think-tank at the “centre” of Labour.

She was appointed to the Town Hall’s executive committee in May, having been a councillor for the Caledonian ward since 2018.