ˌɔn wˈʌn ˈɔːɡəst tˈuː θˈaʊzənd θˈɜːtiːn, ɪt wʌz ɐnˈaʊnst ðæt ˈælən wʌz tə bɪkˌʌm ɐ lˈeɪbɚ pˈɪɹ ɪn ɐ lˈɪst ʌv nˈuː ɐpˈɔɪntmənts tə ðə hˈaʊs ʌv lˈɔːɹdz.
On 1 August 2013, it was announced that Allen was to become a Labour peer in a list of new appointments to the House of Lords.