Ex-home secretary John Reid becomes a lord

FORMER home secretary John Reid has been introduced to the House of Lords as Lord Reid of Cardowan.

The Labour peer was raised to the Upper House after standing down at this year's general election following 23 years in the Commons serving Scottish constituencies.

During a varied ministerial career, he was secretary of state for Scotland, Northern Ireland, health and defence and leader of the House of Commons, before taking charge of the Home Office from 2006 to 2007.

Before entering Parliament in 1987, he was a political adviser to Labour leader Neil Kinnock.

Lord Reid, 63, was one of three new peers introduced to the Lords yesterday.

He joined Conservative Dame Margaret Eaton and the Liberal Democrat Matthew Taylor.