During the next three decades he worked in the Departments of Education and Political Economy and also the Regional Centre for the Study of Economic and Social Policy, where he was appointed to his chair.
[8] Sewel was first elected to political office as an Aberdeen District Councillor in 1974, serving as council leader from 1977 to 1980, and also as president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities from 1982 to 1984.
On 10 January 1996 he was created Baron Sewel, of Gilcomstoun in the District of the City of Aberdeen,[10] and became Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Scottish Office from 1997 to 1999, serving as the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries.
Sewel was elected Chairman of Committees on 9 May 2012, whereupon he gave up the Labour whip and sat as a non-affiliated member in the House of Lords.
He resigned as Chairman of Committees on 26 July 2015 after The Sun released hidden camera footage seemingly showing him snorting white powder (widely reported in the media to be cocaine) at a party with prostitutes.