Priti Patel and Jacob-Rees Mogg are among Boris Johnson’s chosen recipients (Picture: Getty Images)
Boris Johnson’s long-awaited resignation honours list has been released – and it already has been branded ‘ill-judged and wholly undeserved.’
The former prime minister has nominated close allies for peerages and other gongs.
A number of aides who were implicated in the Partygate scandal have been rewarded by Mr Johnson.
He handed peerages to former London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, while giving staunch loyalists Jacob Rees-Mogg and Priti Patel a knighthood and a damehood respectively.
Benjamin Gascoigne, a former deputy chief of staff to the ex-prime minister will enter the House of Lords alongside Ross Kempsell, a former political director of the Conservative Party.
Charlotte Owen, a former adviser to Mr Johnson, will become one of the youngest peers, while Kulveer Singh Ranger, a former director of transport while Boris Johnson was London mayor, will also be elevated to the Lords.
Former No 10 chief of staff Dan Rosenfield will also enter the upper chamber.
Those put forward for a knighthood include former business secretary Mr Rees-Mogg, former housing secretary Simon Clarke and MPs Conor Burns and Michael Fabricant.
Staunch loyalist Jacob Rees-Mogg will receive a knighthood (Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Johnson ally Priti Patel has also been rewarded by the former prime minister (Picture: Getty Images)
Former co-chairman of the Conservative Party Ben Elliot and William Lewis, a political adviser to Mr Johnson, are also in line to become knights bachelors.
Former home secretary Ms Patel has been nominated for a damehood, along with former ministers Andrea Jenkyns and Amanda Milling.
The former head of operations at No 10, Shelley Williams-Walker, will also receive a damehood, along with Mr Johnson’s former personal assistant, Ann Sindall.
Labour’s Angela Rayner called Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list a ‘sickening insult’.
The deputy leader said: ‘Instead of tackling the cost-of-living crisis, the Tories are spending their time doling out rewards for those who tried to cover up rule-breaking and toadied to a disgraced former prime minister.
Angela Rayner branded the list of peerages ‘sickening’ in a blistering response (Picture: PA)
A number of close allies have been rewarded by Boris Johnson (Picture: Getty Images)
‘It’s a sickening insult that those who planned Covid parties and held boozy lockdown bashes while families were unable to mourn loved ones are now set to be handed gongs by Rishi Sunak.
‘As Boris Johnson faces yet more allegations and investigations about his conduct, the privilege of an honours list is spectacularly ill-judged and wholly undeserved.
‘It’s shameful that Rishi Sunak has failed to stand up to his former boss’s outrageous demands and agreed to hand out prizes to this carousel of cronies.
‘He promised integrity, but this weak Prime Minister is once again showing his appalling judgement by doing Boris Johnson’s bidding.’
Notably absent from Boris’s list were former culture secretary Nadine Dorries – who has announced her intention to stand down as an MP – and Sir Alok Sharma, president of the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow.
Previous reports suggested the Government cut the pair at the 11th hour to swerve potentially damaging by-elections in their seats.
But Downing Street has sought to distance Rishi Sunak from the list.
‘He had no involvement or input into the approved list,’ the Prime Minister’s press secretary said today.
Nadine Dorries is among the notable names not to feature in the list (Picture: PA)
Rishi Sunak, currently in America, has been urged to defend his predecessor’s list (Picture: PA)
Nevertheless, Lord Newby, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, called Mr Johnson’s resignation honours list a ‘clear failure of leadership’ from the Prime Minister.
‘Boris Johnson caused crisis after crisis in this country. His lack of honour means he didn’t deserve an honours list in the first place.
‘Yet Sunak has caved in, rewarding Johnson for his reckless behaviour as prime minister. The British public will be outraged at this out of touch decision.
‘Rishi Sunak needs to come before Parliament immediately to justify his cowardly failure to block Boris Johnson’s Honours list.’
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Labour’s Angela Rayner called Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list a ‘sickening insult’.
