FORMER Foreign Secretary William Hague, who stepped down as MP for the Dales constituency Richmond in May, has been made a peer in the dissolution honours announced today.

Prime Minister David Cameron has handed out a total of 26 peerages Conservatives in a bid to politically re-balance the House of Lords.

Some 45 new peers have been appointed - despite criticism that there are too many already.

Most of the new appointees are Tories, with the Lib Dems getting 11 peers and Labour eight.

Mr Hague was elected MP for Richmond, which includes Hawes and upper Wensleydale, in 1989.