UPDATE 4.21pm:

Newly-appointed Lord Paul Murphy said: “I am delighted to have been awarded a peerage in the Dissolution Honours List.

“I see it as a recognition of Torfaen and its people, and of what I helped to do in Wales and Northern Ireland.”

The leader of Torfaen Council, Councillor Bob Wellington, said: “This is wonderful news and Paul will continue to represent the party and the people of this borough with dedication and distinction in the House of Lords.

“Paul was one of the most respected Members of Parliament, whose great integrity, honour and commitment to a fairer Britain is befitting of a place in the Upper House.”

2.14pm:

FORMER MP for Torfaen Paul Murphy has been made a peer of the House of Lords, it has been announced.

Mr Murphy stood down at the General Election this year after representing Torfaen as MP since 1987.

He served in a number of senior government posts including as Secretary of State for Wales twice from 1999 to 2000 and from 2008 to 2009 and also as a Minister and then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Today the Prime Minister’s office released a list of people to be made lords as part of the Dissolution Peerages 2015.

His successor, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said Mr Murphy’s “wisdom, experience and diplomatic skills will be a real boost in the Lords”.

He said: “One of the things I was struck by during my first weeks in Parliament was the number of MPs on all sides of the house who approached me specifically to express their respect for Paul, even those who often disagreed with him politically.

“Nowhere was that regard more apparent than amongst MPs from Northern Ireland.

“Staunch Unionists and Nationalists were united in admiration for the job Paul did helping to build the peace process there.

“Much of that, perhaps, is down to the fact that he seldom sought credit for the fine work that he did, often behind the scenes.”

He added: “Locally in Torfaen, that respect is also very apparent to me as his successor as I visit local groups and hold surgeries.

“People admired Paul’s willingness to listen as well as speak, and treat people with consideration and kindness.”

“Parliament will be all the better for Paul’s sound judgement and wise counsel.”