 In 1977 Michael Edwardes was appointed chief executive at British Leyland, but Stokes remained on the board till 1979.Stokes was awarded with a knighthood in the 1965 Birthday Honours, having the honour conferred by The Queen on 11 November.He was created a Life Peer taking the title Baron Stokes, of Leyland in the County Palatine of Lancaster on 9 January 1969 and sat as a Crossbencher in the House of Lords.