FORMER Darlington MP Jenny Chapman is one of 16 people to have been appointed to the House of Lords.

Jenny Chapman was the chairwoman of Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership election and is a senior aide to the Labour leader.

MP for Darlington between 2010 and 2019, the former shadow minister lost her seat in Parliament at the 2019 election when the Conservatives made a number of major gains across the north of England.

The other nominations from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer were: Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake; former schools minister Vernon Coaker; former MEP Wajid Khan; and chief executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, and former health minister, Gillian Merron.

Boris Johnson made seven recommendations, including former Tory Party co-treasurer and city tycoon Peter Cruddas, despite the House of Lords appointment commission advising that it could not support the nomination.