Paralympic champion appointed to House of Lords

The 11-time Paralympic champion, one of Britain's greatest

Paralympians,said: "I tried to explain it to Carys and said I might be getting a new job. She was not interested. I tried to explain to her what was happening and she just said OK.

"The only time she seemed to get excited was when I said I would be working in the Houses of Parliament at the place where Big Ben is.

"Being called a Baroness still sounds a little bit strange to be honest."

Since retiring from wheelchair racing in 2007 Dame Tanni has become a powerful voice in sports administration and disability rights.

The Cardiff-born Paralympian who studied politics at Loughborough University, because they did not offer law, finds this new political challenge appealing because it is something that is very different for her.

Dame Tanni, 40, said: "I think it is about being at the heart of the debate.

"I would like to think that I am right about everything but I know I am not.

"I retired three years ago without looking back, knowing it was the right time and knowing what I wanted to do.

"This is a huge opportunity, not just for British sport but for different people.

"I am an ex-athlete. I am a mum. I have a disability and it all

combines to give a different perspective."

She has not decided on her full title yet but is determined it should be linked to her Welsh roots.

Her interests will lie, she predicts, in disability rights, access and education where "there is still a lot of challenges".

Dame Tanni said: "There is also a lot of debate at the moment on assisted suicide. There will probably be areas which, at first, you may not think would be a natural fit but we will just have to see."

She was put in charge of a review by UK Athletics into its anti-doping measures and promises to be a key figure in the run-up to the London 2012 Games. She is also on the board of the London Marathon.

She is a Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Ambassador and is an International Inspiration Ambassador for Unicef.

Also named in yesterday's list of non-party political peers were chair of the Design Council and former Whitehall mandarin Sir Michael Bichard, Royal Opera House chief executive and former BBC journalist Tony Hall and eminent surgeon Professor Ajay Kakkar.