Former Black Country MP officially made Lord Spellar of Smethwick

The 77-year-old was officially introduced to Parliament's upper chamber and received his ceremonial robes yesterday after being given a peerage this summer.

Lord Spellar stood down before July's General Election after representing Smethwick since 1992 after a parliamentary career stretching back to 1982 when he won the Northfield by-election for Labour.

Lord Spellar told the Express & Star: "I was introduced to the House of Lords and did the equivalent of being sworn in. It feels great to have a pass to Parliament again, for the last few months I have had to rely on people signing me in, which was strange after being able to walk straight in for so long.

"I was given my robes but have yet to make my maiden speech in the House of Lords. I am looking forward to doing what I did in the House of Commons and raising issues which are important to the people of Smethwick. I am not looking for an official Government position, but I will use my role in the Lords to make a difference."

Lord Spellar was introduced by the Leader of the House of Lords Baroness Angela Smith and Lord Bill Jordan, the former president of the Trade Union Council, in recognition of the new member's union work as the political officer of the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union (EETPU) from 1969 to 1992.

He said: "I was pleased to be introduced by someone from the union movement in Bill Jordan who was the previous president of the AEEU, engineering and electoral union."

During his time in the House of Commons Lord Spellar had a ministerial career included spells at the Ministry of Defence, Department of Transport and the Northern Ireland Office in Tony Blair's Government.

He was appointed as a member of the UK Parliament delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Smethwick Labour Councillor Parbinder Kaur congratulated the former MP. She said: "Myself and my team in the constituency congratulate the legend John Spellar becoming Lord Spellar of Smethwick.

"We are proud and honoured of you."

Lord Spellar was married to the mother of his daughter from 1981 until her sudden death in 2003. He has since remarried and his elevation to the Lords was a special day for her as well.

He said: "My wife is now officially a Lady, but I have always thought she was anyway."