What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Theresa May has been left red faced after a former Tory MP, who she appointed to the House of Lords, has revealed he will be sitting as a crossbencher in the upper chamber.

Lord Tyrie, who lost his seat in 2017, is a former chairman of the Treasury select committee.

But despite serving as a Tory MP for a decade, he will not be taking the Conservative whip when he joins the House of Lords.

This will be a particular blow to the Prime Minister who has recently suffered 15 defeats on Brexit in the Lords.

Theresa May triggered fury when she announced a fresh batch of Conservative cronies for the Upper Chamber under cover of the Royal Wedding.

(Image: AFP)

In theory she created nine new Tory peers, three new Labour Lords and gave the DUP one.

But with Tyries admission that reduces the Tories' haul to eight.

The Electoral Reform Society estimates the extra Lords and Ladies could add another £1,079,000 per year to the total bill, with peers able to trouser £305 a day just for turning up.

Lord Tyrie, who has been appointed head of Britain's competition watchdog, faced accusations of impartiality if he took up his seat on the Tory benches.

Cabinet Office spokesman Lord Young of Cookham said today that Lord Tyrie will sit in the Lords as a non-affiliated peer.

Lord Young was responding to concerns raised by Lord Newby, Liberal Democrat leader in the Lords, at question time.

Lord Newby asked if ministers agreed with the Institute for Government that "Andrew Tyrie cannot be an independent chair of the Competition and Markets Authority and take the Government whip", but should sit as an independent crossbencher instead.

Lord Young said Mr Tyrie was a "robustly independent-minded" chairman of the Treasury select committee in the last Parliament and regularly held the Government to account.

"I have spoken to Lord Tyrie this morning and can confirm he will be sitting as a non-affiliated peer ... and not be in receipt of the Conservative whip."

Mr Tyrie is among nine new Conservative peers announced last week along with one Democratic Unionist and three Labour.

Tory Lord Garel-Jones said Jeremy Corbyn had given an undertaking that if elected leader of the Labour party he would not nominate any new peers and asked what might have led him to change his mind.

(Image: PA)

Lord Young said Mr Corbyn had recognised that the Lords has a role to play in holding the Government to account and had, when campaigning to be leader, said he could see no case for appointing new Labour peers.

"I'm delighted that sensible heads on the Opposition benches have persuaded him to change his mind and help refresh the Labour benches," he said.

"I hope that at some point in the future, speaking personally, Alan Johnson and Jack Straw (Labour former Cabinet ministers) might join us."