The Liberal Democrats have named five new peers for the House of Lords, including Hannah Kitching, the former Mayor of Penistone and one-time leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Barnsley Council. Her elevation marks a notable move for a politician who built the party's local presence in Barnsley after joining the Lib Dems following the 2016 EU referendum.
From local politics to the national legislature
Kitching, who trained and worked as an NHS physiotherapist before entering politics, won election to Barnsley Council in 2018. At that time she was the sole Liberal Democrat member on the authority; during her tenure she increased her party’s representation - eventually expanding the group to a larger number of councillors and serving as the group’s Leader of the Opposition.
“I am absolutely delighted that Julia, Hannah, Tim, Dave and Mark will be joining our brilliant Liberal Democrat team in the House of Lords,”
The party leader's statement accompanied the wider list of appointments, which the Liberal Democrats say will replenish their presence in the upper chamber with people from varied professional backgrounds.
Who else is joining the Lords?
The five appointments pair national remit with local links in some cases. They are presented below with their principal current or recent roles:
| Name | Recent role(s) |
|---|---|
| Julia Aglionby | Executive Director, Foundation for Common Land; Professor of Practice, University of Cumbria |
| Hannah Kitching | Former NHS physiotherapist; ex-Mayor of Penistone; former Leader of the Opposition on Barnsley Council |
| Tim Leunig | Chief Economist at Nesta; Senior Visiting Fellow, Institute for Government |
| Dave McCobb | Liberal Democrat Director of Campaigns; former senior campaign figure |
| Mark Petterson | Entrepreneur with interests in offshore wind; former Hull City Councillor |
Local significance and what it means for Barnsley
Kitching’s promotion to the Lords gives Barnsley a direct personal connection to debates at Westminster through a newly appointed peer with recent experience of the town and borough. For local residents and civic groups, this could mean enhanced opportunities to raise issues affecting Penistone and the wider Barnsley area within national-level discussions. It also represents a personal trajectory from frontline local services — the NHS — into municipal politics, and now into the national legislature.
For readers who want to follow developments, peers take a seat in the upper chamber following formal appointment and the allocation of a title; they then participate in legislative scrutiny, committee work and plenary debates. How active each new peer will be is a matter for the individual and their party’s delegation in the Lords.
- Local background: Kitching began as a single Lib Dem councillor in Barnsley in 2018 and later led the opposition group.
- Professional background: Former NHS physiotherapist.
- National context: One of five new Lib Dem additions to the House of Lords announced today.
Further information about the formal process, timing of introduction ceremonies and any initial committee assignments for the new peers will be made available by the party and the House of Lords authorities in due course.
