Screenwriter takes seat in Lords
By Philippa Silverman - 13th January 2011
Julian Fellowes, the Oscar-winning writer and actor who created Downtown Abbey has today taken his seat in the Lords.
Awarded a peerage by David Cameron, Lord Fellowes was one of 54 new working peers announced in November.
Lord Fellowes of West Stafford had previously gained fame as an actor and won an Oscar in 2002 for writing the screenplay for Gosford Park.
The 61-year-old has in the past been brought in by the Conservative Party to help write speeches for Iain Duncan Smith's, coining the notorious line about the "quiet man ... turning up the volume".
Lord Fellowes was flanked by his supporters, Tory hereditary peer Lord Northbrook and Tory energy and climate change minister Lord Marland.
He was introduced alongside fellow conservative peer, Gordon Wasserman, an internationally recognised expert on police forces management.
Jonathan Marks, a commercial and family law QC, took his seat on the Liberal Democrats benches.
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