 Always a close associate of James Molyneaux, McConnell was raised to a life peerage as Baron McConnell, of Lisburn in the County of Antrim on 15 February 1995, reportedly owing to the then Prime Minister's reliance on Ulster Unionist votes to maintain his minority government.Molyneaux was criticized for the nomination of McConnell owing to his age when it was felt that a younger candidate could have been nominated.An active member of the House of Lords, McConnell died on 25 October 2000.