Jacob Rees-Mogg honoured by Boris Johnson as former PM dishes out gongs to Brexit cronies
Brexiteers were rewarded in the list of Boris Johnson’s honours, which has been criticised for rewarding ‘cronies’
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Boris Johnson has doled out knighthoods and other gongs to fellow Brexiteers as part of his resignation honours.
Former Brexit opportunities minister Jacob Rees-Mogg is among those to be made a "sir" in the list – a perk for prime ministers who are leaving office.
Other knighthoods included Leave-supporting Conservative MPs Michael Fabricant and Conor Burns.
Damehoods were meanwhile dished out to Tory MPs Priti Patel and Andrea Jenkyns.
Mr Johnson's list was delayed by months of back and forth with Rishi Sunak's government, which has to approve nominations.
The list was released late on Friday - but some names, such as the of close ally Nadine Dorries, were missing.
Ms Dorries had reportedly been in line for a peerage, but this never materialised, amid speculations that Mr Sunak had wanted to avoid a difficult by-election in her seat.
MPs appointed as peers must resign their seat, though those given knighthood and damehoods do not.
The Times reported earlier that Mr Sunak is hoping to “clear the decks” by signing off the awards, which are said to have been a source of contention between the two figures.
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper accused Mr Sunak of rewarding “failure” by allegedly giving the list the green light.
“The fact that one of the most scandal-ridden prime ministers is now allowed to stuff his cronies in the Lords after a failed premiership tells the British public everything they need to know about this Conservative Party,” she said.
“Boris Johnson caused crisis after crisis in this country — if Rishi Sunak rewards his failure it’s just proof it is one rule for the Conservatives and another for everyone else.
“The buck stops with Sunak — he must ensure that Johnson’s honours list is put through the shredder.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer suggested the Conservative Party leader was having to “appease different bits” of the governing party with his handling of the honours roll.
“Whether it’s Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, Boris Johnson’s peerages, all the Prime Minister is doing is managing his own party instead of running the country,” the Labour leader said during a visit to a steelworks in Scunthorpe.
Mr Johnson’s spokesman said: “We strictly do not comment on honours.”
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