Taking his seat in the House of Lords in November 1989, he joined the Conservative benches. A member of the Lords bridge-team, he was a rare speaker, but had become increasingly more attentive. By the time of his expulsion in 1999, he was the most attentive of the seven Irish Marquesses. In ten years in the Lords he made two speeches and laid down one written question. His maiden speech, made in October 1994, was part of a debate taking note of 'recent developments in Northern Ireland'.