According to The Independent, Lebedev became a lifelong peer and entered the upper house of the British parliament. He was awarded the high title for his services to the media industry and charity work. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recommended Lebedev to receive a lifelong peerage.
Yevgeny Lebedev, the son of Alexander Lebedev, a former intelligence officer, businessman and shareholder of Novaya Gazeta, received British citizenship in 2010.
"The full title of Lebedev sounds like this: "Baron Lebedev from Hampton in the London area of Richmond-on-Thames and Siberia in the Russian Federation", - reports the TV channel Rain.
As a merit of the baron, it is mentioned that he organized several charity events. Their members raised over 75 million pounds (about 100 million dollars) to protect the environment and support vulnerable social groups.
Lebedev's The Evening Standard notes that Lebedev, speaking shortly after his appointment, said he was “very proud” of being Russia's first peer. He promised to use his position to fight for freedom of speech".
Having received a life-long seat in the House of Lords, on November 19, Lebedev began to officially take part in meetings of the British Parliament.
According to Inosmi, Lebedev's surname was included in the list of 36 people to whom the queen granted lifelong peerage.
"This appointment, of course, caused confusion in Westminster, and perhaps this step means that Boris expects more positive coverage in the pages of the newspapers of this tycoon in the coming months and years," - the newspaper notes.
Ill-wishers in Britain call Lebedev "the son of a former KGB spy" and express "concern about the ties of some peers with Russia".
After Lebedev was nominated for the peerage, Boris Johnson was accused of being "under the hidden influence of Russian oligarchs".