 Clinton-Davis was appointed to the House of Lords as a life peer on 8 May 1990 taking the title of Baron Clindon-Davis, "of Hackney in the London Borough of Hackney".He was Opposition Spokesman for Transport (1990–97) and Supporting Spokesperson for Trade and Industry (1990–96) and Foreign Affairs (1990–97).Following the Labour victory in the 1997 General Election, Prime Minister Tony Blair decided to use the experience of a handful of former Labour ministers at the commencement of his New Labour project.