Here is the latest nomination in our series highlighting people David Cameron should consider appointing to the House of Lords.
If you would like to nominate someone, please email Jonathan Isaby with your suggestion, ideally including key arguments for
the nomination as well as biographical information. The sources of nominations will be treated confidentially where
requested.
No. 26: Lurline Champagnie
Andrew Rosindell MP writes:
"It is my profound pleasure to recommend Councillor Lurline Champagnie for appointment to the House of Lords. Professionally and politically, Lurline has a pioneer track record of leadership, empowerment and success through hard work.
"She came to the UK from the West Indies in the 1950s, initially working as a secretary. Seeking a caring profession, she undertook State Nursing Qualifications and had an extremely successful career of service to the NHS. She won an International Nursing Scholarship to the USA and ran her own successful healthcare business.
"Lurline is an individual possessed of great energy, humour, strong opinion and iron-will. At her first Conservative Conference in October 1984, she raised the whole tone of the debate on the NHS with a rousing oratory and was a prominent helper of casualties at the Brighton Bombing that year.
"In 1985, she sprang to natural prominence in her conference speech in which she declared “I am Conservative, Black, British and proud of all three”. This was picked up by national and international media and recorded for posterity. She continued as a frequent speaker at Party Conferences, UK-Wide Events, TV debates including Question Time, and radio programmes including Any Questions. She is known as a veteran of Conservative principles and is the only non-MP recorded in the BBC cassette of “Great Political Speakers”.
"Lurline began her political career when she was elected as a councillor of London Borough of Harrow, 1986. It is a testament to her care for her constituents that she is re-elected with ever-increasing majorities and was the runner-up for Britain’s Mayor of the Year Award in 2005. She fought the Labour-held parliamentary seat of Islington North in 1992.
"Her politics is a shade of True Blue. She is a loyal Conservative, patriot and common-sense politician. Lurline has been vocal in her opposition to political correctness as a divisive force and advocated a new inclusive approach, ‘The Cosmopolitan Community’, during her nomination for the Mayor of London candidacy. Her manifesto set out many other clear policies that no doubt influenced other candidates. After the primary, she threw her full support behind Boris Johnson and was active in campaigning for him across the capital.
"Lurline is currently appointed to the Government Equalities Office as a BAME Taskforce member to encourage more minority women into politics and public life. She is one of the only two Tories on a Labour-dominated task force.
"It is common for us to appoint famous faces to the Upper House, but Lurline is a true public servant who I know will work tirelessly for our country. She will bring her front-line experience of the NHS and small businesses together with her rare ability to connect with people from all walks of life. These, and her trademark loyalty to the party, make her an ideal candidate for a peerage."
> Previous nomination: Simon Mort