New Liberal Democrat members of the House of Lords
Two Liberal Democrat appointments to the House of Lords have been announced today - Shaffaq Mohammed, a former youth worker and leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Sheffield Council since 2011 and Mark Pack, who has been President of the party since 2020. They join former London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon who was appointed to the House of Lords in July.
Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed MBE
Shaffaq Mohammed has dedicated his life to youth work, public service and local government.
Shaffaq was born in Kashmir. When Shaffaq was four, his family moved to Sheffield to work in the city’s renowned steel industry.
His first job was at the Co-op in Hillsborough where he started as a YTS trainee unloading lorries, and went on to become their youngest ever manager, managing multiple stores. He went on to study Business at the University of Sheffield.
Shaffaq then became a youth worker, Shaffaq dedicated himself to creating pathways for disadvantaged young people to access work and education opportunities.
His hands-on experience with local challenges inspired him to become a councillor for the Liberal Democrats in Sheffield in 2004, where he focused on building a more inclusive and supportive community. He became leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council in 2011 – a role he still holds today. He was awarded an MBE for his political service in 2015.
In 2019 Shaffaq was elected to represent Yorkshire and the Humber in the European Parliament. In this role, he passionately advocated for women' s rights, environmental sustainability, human rights and civil liberties.
In 2021-22, he chaired a Carers Commission, established by Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey, which took evidence from experts, campaigners and carers themselves to develop new policies to support paid and unpaid carers.
Dr Mark Pack
Mark is an experienced and respected campaigner, communications professional and constitutional expert.
He first joined the Liberal Democrats 34 years ago, and wrote his first Focus leaflet in 1992 when standing for election in York. Since then Mark has been a constant presence in the Lib Dems: As Head of Innovation as Lib Dem HQ; editing Lib Dem Voice and the Lib Dem Newswire; and successfully managing Lynne Featherstone’s campaign to gain Hornsey and Wood Green in 2005.
He has served as President of the Liberal Democrats since 2020, including a period as joint acting leader of the party in 2020. Under his presidency, the party secured its best ever general election result, becoming the largest third party in a century.
Mark is a respected authority on political campaigning, communications and marketing. Outside the Liberal Democrats, he has worked in both the university and private sectors, and been a Visiting Lecturer at City University. He has authored a number of books including Polling UnPacked and 101 Ways To Win An Election.
He also has a great deal of expertise in constitutional affairs and electoral law, and served as a member of the Electoral Commission’s Political Parties Panel. In this new role, Mark is particularly looking forward to any opportunity to vote for his own abolition.
Mark has dedicated himself to making politics more open and transparent to the public, with his seminal polling database and a number of pioneering websites and newsletters.
Caroline Pidgeon MBE
Caroline Pidgeon served on the London Assembly from 2008 to 2024, where she had a strong track record of campaigning on issues such as policing and public transport. She was Leader of the Liberal Democrats on the Assembly from 2010 to 2024.
Caroline was a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority between 2008 and 2012 and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority between 2008 and 2010.
Between 1998 and 2010, Caroline was a Councillor in the London Borough of Southwark, during which time she held several posts including Deputy Leader of Southwark Council and Executive Member for Children’s Services and Education. She was also a Board Member of Lambeth and Southwark Housing Association between 2002 and 2010.
Caroline was awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Year Honours List for public and political service.