FORMER Trades Union Congress boss Frances O’Grady has taken her seat on the red benches in the House of Lords.
The 63-year-old wore the traditional scarlet robes for the short introduction ceremony, where she swore the oath of allegiance to the King.
She was supported by former TUC general secretary Lord Monks and Baroness Prosser, who previously served as deputy general secretary of the Transport & General Workers Union.
Nominated to the unelected chamber - which Labour have promised to scrap - by opposition leader Keir Starmer, she will sit on the Labour benches as Baroness O’Grady of Upper Holloway.
Lady O’Grady served as general secretary of the TUC from 2013 until last year, the first woman to ever hold the post.
She had joined the organisation as campaigns officer in 1994.
Lady O’Grady is also a non-executive director of the Bank of England.
