Trimble takes House of Lords seat

Lord Trimble was introduced into the Upper House by his two sponsors

Former Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble has formally taken his seat in the House of Lords.

Lord Trimble, who was appointed in April, has already said he will be known as Lord Trimble of Lisnagarvey.

He said he had chosen the title as it was a townland in Lisburn. The title translates as the Fort of the Gamblers.

"I am very conscious of the fact I am a new boy in a very different institution which has its own ways of doing things," he said.

"I think I will be looking around and listening and trying to pick up the sense of the place."

Lord Trimble was one of four new peers from Northern Ireland created on the last working peers list in April.

The others were former DUP Lord Mayor of Belfast Wallace Browne, DUP party chairman Maurice Morrow and DUP leader Ian Paisley's wife, Eileen.

In future, Mrs Paisley is expected to be known as Baroness Paisley of St George's after the ward which elected her to Belfast City Council in 1967.

The three DUP peers will be the first from their party to enter the House of Lords.

Lord Trimble was introduced into the Upper House by his two sponsors, Lord Rogan and Lord Steinberg.

After taking the oath, Lord Trimble joined more than 700 other peers on the Lords' benches.