A FORMER MP who represented North Yorkshire constituencies for 18 years has taken her seat in the House of Lords.

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering was flanked by supporters Lord Plumb and Baroness Byford as she swore the oath of allegiance to the Queen.

The ex-Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton and former shadow minister stood down at the last election after she was deselected by her constituency association and was among 45 new peers announced by the Prime Minister in August.

The move makes the House of Lords the second most populous legislative chamber in the world to 826 members.

After being awarded the peerage, Miss McIntosh, who grew up in Teesdale, and has been working as an agricultural consultant since the election, said she had been thrilled to learn she would be able to resume her parliamentary career and that it was a vindication of her work and support.

Miss McIntosh, who served as a shadow minister for nine years before becoming chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee, said: "There attaches great responsibilities as a Conservative peer, which I shall seek to discharge to the best of my ability."