The ex-MSP will officially be known as Lord Macintosh of Eastwood and has been honoured for his parliamentary service, having held the position of Presiding Officer at the Scottish Parliament for five years since 2016.

Lord Macintosh said: “It is an immense privilege to serve the people of Scotland and the whole of the UK too in this new role. 

“I see this peerage as a welcome recognition of the central role of the Scottish Parliament in our public life and my priority will be to continue improving relations between Westminster and Holyrood.”

Macintosh added: “It has perhaps never been more politically important to put the emphasis back on collaboration, cooperation and collegiate working. 

“Given the importance of providing more affordable housing across the whole country, I hope the lessons I have learned and the experience I have gained from working with such a caring and innovative organisation as Lar will help me contribute to the national effort.”

An ex-BBC producer and journalist, Lord Macintosh, was elected to the first Scottish Parliament in 1999 and held several front bench positions before entering the role of presiding officer.

Macintosh brought in a programme of parliamentary reform and guided the institution through the Brexit and constitutional debates, as well as the issues which came about through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alongside his position at the housing charity Lar, he is also a Privy Council member and a Trustee of a number of other charities.