Theresa May blames David Cameron for the controversial New Year’s honours list

Sources close to the Prime Minister say many of the nominations came from her predecessor

David Cameron (Getty)

Theresa May has blamed her predecessor, David Cameron, for the controversies surrounding this New Year’s honours list.

Numerous Tory donors and other political figures received honours and sources close to Ms May have defended her involvement, saying many of the nominations came from Mr Cameron.

The Prime Minister apparently wants future honours to prioritise those who have helped boost social mobility, the economy or those who tackle discrimination.

Some reports have said such changes to the system are likely to take place by the time of the Queen’s birthday honours.

In the recent list, Dominic Johnson, an associate Conservative treasurer who put up Mr Cameron and his family when they left Downing Street, received a CBE and Mark Lowcock, the Permanent Secretary of the Department for International Development, earned a knighthood.

Former BBC presenter and charity campaigner, Lynn Faulds Wood, rejected her MBE saying the honour’s system is “tainted” and needs to be brought into the 21st century.

The 68-year-old called for reforms to the House of Lords and for the Honours system to be modernised to make it “fairer”.

This year’s Honour’s list was dominated by high-profile British athletes who represented the country in the Rio games such as Andy Murray, Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill, who received knighthoods and a damehood.