Maeve Sherlock, chair of the Charity Awards judging panel, has been announced as one of 55 new life peers to join the House of Lords. Sherlock, a Labour Party faithful, was recommended by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown for the honour prior to his exit from Number 10.

The new coalition administration announced on Friday that the Queen has “signif(ied) Her intention of conferring Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life” upon the 55, despite its agreement on reforming the House of Lords to see a wholly or mainly elected second chamber, elected by proportional representation. 

Sherlock is former chief executive of the Refugee Council, former special adviser to the chancellor and is one of 12 commissioners at non-departmental public body the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Other civil society figures named include Deborah Stedman-Scott, chief executive of Tomorrow’s People; Nat Wei, the government's new adviser on Big Society; vice president of Barnardo's, Floella Benjamin; and former chief executive of Campaign to Protect Rural England, Kathryn Jane Parminter.

Under the new coalition all representatives within the House of Lords could be elected and existing Lords, including the latest influx, could be removed from the upper chamber.