Two years later, along with the rest of his Unionist colleagues, he resigned his seat in protest at the Anglo-Irish Agreement, but was re-elected in the subsequent by-election.
He stood down as an MP at the 2001 general election, and on 20 July of that year was created a life peer taking the title Baron Maginnis of Drumglass, of Carnteel in the County of Tyrone,[2] and took his seat in the House of Lords, sitting initially with the UUP.
In December 2020, the House of Lords Conduct Committee recommended that Maginnis be suspended from the House of Lords for at least 18 months for breaching the Code of Conduct in relation to behaviour that constituted bullying and harassment against four complainants,[3][4] including homophobic remarks directed at SNP MP Hannah Bardell and Shadow Environment Secretary Luke Pollard.
[3] As well as being overheard saying "I am not going to be bullied by queers",[3] he sent an email to James Gray, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Armed Forces, with the subject "Discrimination by Homos".
Maginnis, speaking as UUP security spokesman, responded: "Those who deliberately and consciously incite violence against themselves should not expect the law-abiding community to finance their protection.
[8] In August 2013, Lord Maginnis of Drumglass was found guilty of an "angry and abusive tirade" following a road rage incident, and was fined.