Diversity needed in House of Lords says new peer

A newly sworn-in Labour peer has said he wants to see a "wider range of people" in the "really posh" House of Lords.

Marvin Rees, who was mayor of Bristol from 2016 to 2024 when the role was abolished after a referendum, became Lord Rees of Easton on Monday when he took his seat in the Lords.

He lived in the Easton and Lawrence Weston parts of the city growing up and said he wanted more people from backgrounds like his to access places such as the Lords.

"I tried not to look around but I couldn't help not to look around, and it's a very particular demographic. That's the way it is," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

Lord Rees of Easton, who was handed a peerage by the Prime Minister, wore the traditional scarlet robes for Monday's short introduction ceremony, where he swore allegiance to the King.

Former Bristol mayor Marvin Rees will now be known as Lord Rees of Easton

Lord Rees said he had a "really warm welcome" at the ceremony but added "it can't escape me that it's really posh".

"I want people from our backgrounds to get into those places," he added.

"We'll make the changes when we're there. The first thing is to get a wider range of people there."

'He's from our background'

Lord Rees said he wanted to inspire people from diverse backgrounds and highlighted the importance of representation.

"Someone messaged me yesterday who is working with four young men on the edge of gang activity and he said 'we watched your swearing in, they were silent'.

"And then they said 'oh, is he from ends?' and he said 'yeah he's from our background'.

"I'm not going to say there's a sunny world out there and you can get what you want.

"The world is an unfair world, but there's a chance."

Former Bristol West MP and shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire was also awarded a peerage and will be known as Baroness Debbonaire of De Beauvoir Town in the London Borough of Hackney.

Both will sit in the House of Lords as Labour peers.