Charlotte Owen, a 30-year-old former adviser to Boris Johnson, has been appointed to the House of Lords, making her the youngest peer in the chamber. She was among several allies of the
former Prime Minister who received life peerages in his resignation honours list.
Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge, as she will be known, is now a Conservative peer. Her career began as an intern in then-Chancellor George Osborne's constituency office, and she also interned for Boris Johnson when he was the foreign secretary. She later worked as a parliamentary assistant to Conservative MPs Alok Sharma and Sir Jake Berry before becoming a special adviser in No 10 in 2021.
According to Sir James Duddridge, who received an honour from Mr Johnson in 2022 and worked as his parliamentary private secretary, Baroness Owen played a vital role in the operation of No 10, facilitating connections between the Prime Minister and the parliamentary party.
During the introduction ceremony in the Lords, Baroness Owen wore traditional scarlet robes and took the oath of allegiance to the King. At just 30 years old, she is the youngest ever life peer, a significant distinction in a chamber where the average age is 71.
In addition to Baroness Owen, Lord Houchen of High Leven, also nominated for a peerage by Boris Johnson, was introduced to the House of Lords on the same day. Lord Houchen has been the mayor of Tees Valley since 2017 and has defended his appointment amid an ongoing investigation into claims of "corruption" at the Teesworks development.
Members of the House of Lords, except for government ministers or those in specific roles, do not receive a salary, but they can claim £342 for each day they attend the House. They play a crucial role in shaping and scrutinising bills before they become law and hold the government to account.
Mr Johnson's resignation honours list was met with controversy, with some expressing concerns over the appointment of certain individuals, such as Conservative London Assembly member Shaun Bailey, who faced questions over a lockdown party held for his staff in December 2020. The Metropolitan Police is reinvestigating the incident. Photo by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street, Wikimedia commons.