Olympics chief Paul Deighton takes seat in House of Lords

London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton took his seat in the House of Lords today.

Dressed in ermine for the traditional ceremony, he was introduced as Lord Deighton of Carshalton in Surrey, so he can also take up a post as a government minister in January.

His appointment as commercial secretary to the Treasury, announced in the summer reshuffle, sees him take charge of the delivery of UK infrastructure.

Today he was introduced as a baron to the House of Lords by London 2012 chairman and fellow Conservative peer Lord Coe and by Labour's Lord Mitchell.

Lord Deighton spoke only to swear an oath of allegiance and then signed up to the Lords code of conduct.

As the main money man behind the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, Lord Deighton helped to spearhead the plans to raise £2 billion from the private sector to stage the Games.

PA