Peerage for former Barrow MP (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Peerage for former Barrow MP

8:10pm Tuesday 1st June 2010 in News By Daniel Orr, Reporter

FORMER Furness MP John Hutton has spoken of his delight at being made a peer after 18 years representing the area.

John Hutton was given a seat in the House of Lords in recognition of his work, including positions as business secretary and most recently defence secretary.

He said: “I am enormously honoured. I will continue to speak out on issues that are important and do whatever I can to keep helping the constituency in Parliament.”

Mr Hutton said he had not yet decided what title he would adopt, but that it would be associated with Furness, because he felt he would not have made it to the House of Lords without the area.

Mr Hutton is generally seen in Furness as being integral to the regeneration of Barrow, helping to put the town on the map and encouraging Government investment into the shipyards.

He maintained an impressive majority at the four elections he stood in since 1992, never dropping below 47.6 per cent of the vote.

Last year he announced he would not stand at the 2010 election, to make way for a new Labour candidate John Woodcock, who secured the seat with 48.11 per cent of the vote.