The prime minister has nominated 30 people to join the House of Lords as Labour seeks to redress a "serious imbalance" in the chamber after the number of Conservatives increased while they were in power.

Sir Keir Starmer has handed out peerages to a string of allies, union bosses and former Labour advisers, including his ex-chief of staff Sue Gray who quit in October. The UK prime minister has elevated 30 people to the House of Lords in a list published on Friday,

The government has appointed 30 new Labour peers including a string of ex-MPs and Sir Keir Starmer loyalists. The prime minister's former chief of staff Sue Gray has also been handed a seat in the House of Lords,