Peers welcome Sugar to Lords
By politics.co.uk staff
The Apprentice star Sir Alan Sugar donned ermine as he took his seat in the House of Lords today.
Controversy has surrounded the new peer’s move to the upper House after he pledged to continue his role hosting the BBC1 show.
The Conservatives said he would undermine the BBC’s impartiality by continuing to appear on the show. It follows his appointment as an adviser to Gordon Brown. He will not serve as a minister.
Sir Alan was forced to quit his company directorships in preparation for the move, amid questions being asked over potential conflicts of interest.
Despite not being a member of the government his face was also removed from government advertisements publicising apprenticeships.
Today the “trusty and wellbeloved Sir Alan Sugar, knight” became Baron Sugar of Clapton.
He vowed allegiance to the Queen and her heirs before shaking hands with the Lords’ convenor – to a dignified ‘hear-hear’ from his fellow peers.
