Old Labour win new peerages in dissolution honours list

It is payback time today for three Old Labour MPs who stood down to make way for New Labour. In a case of "old Labour, new peerages", Geoffrey Lofthouse, John Evans and Doug Hoyle have been given life peerages in the first dissolution honours list to be released during a general election since 1970. A month ago the three said they realised another five years in politics would be a long time. Others in their party were less sure, and more than one hinted that honours had been offered as inducements to retire.

Other names on the Labour side include the former deputy leader of the party Roy Hattersley, Peter Shore, Joan Lestor, and Don Dixon. On the Tory side, the former foreign secretary Douglas Hurd is the senior, with Sir Patrick Mayhew, Kenneth Baker, John Biffen, Paul Channon, David Howell, Michael Jopling, John Patten, Richard Ryder and Tim Renton. The Liberal Democrats will take Sir David Steel, Sir Russell Johnston and David Alton to the Lords, and they will be accompanied by the former Ulster Unionist leader Sir James Molyneaux.