The leader of Wimbledon Liberal Democrats is among 45 new peers appointed to enter the House of Lords, Downing Street announced today.

Shas Sheehan, 56, is to be ennobled alongside a host of politicians and public figures including former foreign secretary William Hague and lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone OBE.

She started her political career as a councillor in Richmond for the Kew ward between 2006 and 2010, before standing unsuccessfully as a parliamentary candidate for Wimbledon in the 2010 and 2015 general elections.

The mother-of-three has led a number of campaigns in Merton, including calling for a "20 is plenty" driving speed limit, step-free access at railway stations, cleaner streets and preventing the closure of an adult education centre.

She is also a trustee on the board of the Citizen's Advice Bureau in Morden, chair of the Wimbledon Cancer Friendship Group and a member of Amnesty International, the RSPB and the London Wildlife Trust.

Wimbledon Times:

'20's plenty' - pounding the streets in 2012

Wimbledon Times:

'Reclaims Our Roads' - promoting a street-cleaning campaign in Morden in November

Wimbledon Times:

Affordable housing: Mrs Sheehan pictured last summer at the Y:Cube housing prototype in Wimbledon

 She said: "I'm very deeply honoured and just delighted that I'm going to have the opportunity to work on the issues I care about in the parliamentary setting and be able to make a difference.

"I think the Lib Dem team in the House of Lords is extremely hard-working."

She added: "As a Lib Dem I'm fully signed up to our agenda to reform the House of Lords and had we had our way in the coalition government that would have been the case.

"However, having said all of that, I think it's certain that the House of Lords has done some exceptional things, particularly in the field of protecting our civil liberties and making sure that the state doesn't override individuals in their quest for greater security."

Before entering politics, Mrs Sheehan graduated with a degree in chemistry from University College London and completed a masters in environmental technology at Imperial College.

She worked as a chemistry teacher and as an auxiliary nurse before becoming a councillor and supporting Susan Kramer when she was MP for Richmond Park.

The announcement comes after Lib Dem leader Tim Farron appointed her to his parliamentary campaigns team to lead on immigration.

Speaking on behalf of Merton party members, Simon McGrath, chair of Merton Lib Dems, said: "Shas was a superb candidate in Wimbledon in the last two elections and her energy and commitment impressed everyone she dealt with.

"Her campaigning on mental health and on local issues like the closing of our adult education centre showed what local Lib Dems can achieve.

"With Labour in disarray and the Tories running wild the country needs the Lib Dems and Shas is a great addition to our team in the Lords."

Politicians are nominated by party leaders every year to be considered by the Queen for entry into the Lords - despite recent criticism that there are already too many.

Of those to be appointed this year, 26 are Conservative, 11 are Lib Dem and eight are Labour.