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Boris Johnson’s final act of madness? Making a 30-year-old a baroness

Investing Charlotte Owen with a life peerage is the icing on the cake for the ex-PM’s ‘dishonours list’, writes Tom Peck

Wednesday 26 July 2023 11:03 BST
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<p>It has been suggested that Johnson simply wanted to ruffle feathers by making Charlotte Owen the youngest life peer in British history</p>

It has been suggested that Johnson simply wanted to ruffle feathers by making Charlotte Owen the youngest life peer in British history

The pictures of 30-year-old Charlotte Owen, fully ermined up and being ceremonially invested into an almost unimaginably cushy job, quite literally for life, really do appear to have touched a nerve with the nation.

I think it is fair to say that few events, even in the last mad decade, have registered such a high reading on my WhatsApp barometer. Old friends, new friends and semi-friends have all been in touch to inform me of their anger at this constitutional outrage.

It’s prompted endless, sordid speculation and dissent – even among Boris Johnson’s friends and allies. Owen received the title when the No 1 Boris supporter, Nadine Dorries, did not.

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