THE Earl of Oxford and Asquith has become the newest hereditary peer to join the House of Lords. 

Lord Oxford, who studied at Balliol College, Oxford, takes up a seat with the Liberal Democrats.

His appointement follows a byelection prompted by the death of Lord Methuen earlier this year. 

A statement from the Liberal Democrats said: "The Earl of Oxford  said that his focus will be foreign and defence policy, foreign trade and commercial affairs as well as farming and environmental issues."

Lord Oxford is descended from former Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith, who led the country from 1908 to 1916. It was H.H. Asquith for whom the Earldom was created. 

Lord Oxford joined Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service in 1980 and remained a serving diplomat until 1997.

He was posted at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Cabinet Office in London.

The Earl was also First Secretary at the embassy in Moscow between 1983 and 1985, and Counsellor at the embassy in Kiev from 1992 to 1997.

He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1992.  

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