Baroness Debbonaire wore traditional scarlet robes for her introduction ceremony yesterday, in which she swore allegiance to the King

Lady Debbonaire served in the shadow cabinet for four years, holding posts including shadow housing secretary, shadow leader of the House of Commons and shadow culture secretary

Asked during during a Spectator interview last year about calls for Rule Britannia to be cut from Last Night of the Proms (pictured) for its colonial overtones, Lady Debbonaire said the music was ‘alienating’

Asked during during a Spectator interview last year about calls for Rule Britannia to be cut from Last Night of the Proms for its colonial overtones, Lady Debbonaire said: ‘It’s not my favourite bit of music. And the Proms is a fantastic institution and it’s the world’s greatest music festival…

‘I think it’s a decision for the people who run the Proms and again, like I said, it shouldn’t be politicians who tell people how to run cultural events.

‘I think for a lot of people that feels like a very sort of British moment, which I think has to be respected as well, but for a lot of people… it will feel alienating.

‘As I want the Proms, I want culture, to be accessible to everyone, I think it’s a good debate for us to be having.’

Before entering the Lords, Lady Debbonaire used a Commons facility to get more than £22,000 worth of Arabic lessons.

Parliamentary records show that she had been taking the classes since 2017-18, including £1,408 worth of classes in 2023-24 and £4,344 the previous year.

There is no suggestion that the MP has broken rules, with the Commons offering politicians ‘training in accordance with their parliamentary duties’.

Over the years MPs from all parties have taken classes in Mandarin, Russian and Icelandic as well as more traditional languages such as French and German.

Lady Debbonaire previously argued that the Arabic lessons ‘help communicate with the diverse population’ in the Bristol West constituency she has represented since 2015.

During a Commons debate in June 2018, Lady Debbonaire said: ‘I’ve been learning Arabic for the last 18 months in order to make a better MP for the Syrian and other Middle Eastern refugees in my constituency…

‘The idea is to make that welcome as genuine and sincere as possible.’

The Commons said that since 2001 MPs have been able to ‘receive training in accordance with their parliamentary duties’.

Also during her Spectator interview, Lady Debbonaire suggested the historic green benches in the Commons should be replaced because they are too big for women.

The 5ft 1in politician complained that it is ‘ridiculous’ that her legs dangle off the end.

Ms Debbonaire also spoke about her experience of arriving at Parliament in 2015, saying she was surprised how much she ‘loved’ it despite the atmosphere being like a boys’ public school.

In an interview for the Spectator’s Women With Balls podcast, Thangam Debbonaire – who is 5ft1in – complained that the Commons green benches should be replaced because they are too big for women

‘The seating for a start – it’s built for men with long legs,’ she said mentioning elements she would like to change…

‘If I sit back my legs dangle like a little girl. It’s ridiculous.

‘The fact the House of Commons is so small, the fact that most of the food is like school dinners. Some of it’s great by the way, in case any of the chefs are listening they are fantastic and they work really hard.

‘It surprised me, and I don’t know why it surprised me, that it was so similar to a boys’ public school because that’s what it was probably modelled on.’