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. 32: Ashley Dearnley
Marilyn Hopkins writes:
"I would like to nominate Councillor Ashley Dearnley, leader of Rochdale Council Conservative Group. He has kept the Conservative Party’s profile high and is respected and liked by all his colleagues at Rochdale Town Hall.
"First elected a Councillor at the tender age of 21, he has held his seat for 29 years, (no mean feat in Rochdale!). He was Mayor of Rochdale 2005-6, and is a true gentleman, with high ethics. Ashley was on the board of Springhill Hospice for 8 years, was the founder member of “Shopmobility” in Rochdale and has been a governor of both St Andrew’s C of E (30 years) and St Mary’s Roman Catholic schools (26 years). He instigated the 6th Form at Wardle High School which was opened in 1995 with a special event held by the Headmaster in Ashley’s honour for all the hard work he had done to bring it about.
"Among his many other commitments, he is on the Diversity Committee and has worked very hard to help the various ethnic minority groups in Rochdale. He is invited to, and attends many of their events. Ashley has spent most of his adult life promoting the Party with dignity and an unmistakable loyalty that people of all political persuasions have recognised and respected.
"He would be a great asset to the House of Lords. He is ordinary and unassuming, but wise and experienced, honourable and incorruptible and, in a lot of people's opinion would be an excellent Peer of the Realm."
> Previous nomination: Patience Wheatcroft