Jacob Rees-Mogg and Simon Clarke had been amongst Conservative politicians awarded knighthoods
By:
Chandrashekar Bhat
FORMER dwelling secretary Priti Patel has been rewarded with damehood as Boris Johnson awarded his political aides and allies with a few of Britain’s highest honours to mark his resignation as prime minister.
Jacob Rees-Mogg and Simon Clarke had been among the many Conservative politicians awarded knighthoods on Friday (9).
Johnson’s listing, long-delayed following his resignation final yr, renewed criticism of the system underneath which outgoing prime ministers can nominate folks for lifetime seats within the higher home of parliament, in addition to knighthoods and different awards once they go away workplace.
Martin Reynolds, a senior civil servant and Johnson’s former principal personal secretary, was given an Order of the Tub award for public service.
In Could 2020, when Britain had lockdown measures, Reynolds had invited folks to the Downing Road backyard suggesting they “deliver your personal booze”. He later boasted to colleagues on social media that workers appeared to have “obtained away” with the drinks occasion.
Johnson gave a peerage to his former chief of workers, Dan Rosenfield, and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire honour to Jack Doyle, his former director of communications, two of his key aides when events had been held in Downing Road throughout lockdowns.
Labour Social gathering deputy chief Angela Rayner known as Johnson’s honours listing a “sickening insult”.
A Conservative member of parliament, who requested to not be named, mentioned the listing was “deeply embarrassing” and confirmed Johnson’s lack of regret.
The previous prime minister additionally accepted honours for Conservative get together politicians who’ve lately been caught in different scandals.
Johnson gave a peerage to Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, who’s going through an investigation over claims of mismanagement on the website of a redevelopment venture, which he denies, and a knighthood to Conor Burns, who was fired from the federal government final yr over a misconduct declare, however later cleared by an inside get together probe.
Johnson nominated 45 folks in whole for awards, which is fewer than different current prime ministers. Theresa Could nominated 57 folks when she stood down in 2019, and David Cameron put ahead 59 folks in 2016.
Johnson give up as a member of parliament on Friday, claiming he had been compelled out in a stitch-up by his political opponents.
The 58-year-old populist politician has been underneath investigation by a cross-party committee about whether or not he repeatedly lied to parliament over Covid lockdown-breaking events when he was in workplace.
In proof earlier this yr, he angrily insisted he had not.
Patel praised Johnson describing him because the UK’s “most electorally profitable Prime Minister since Margaret Thatcher”.
“Boris Johnson has served our nation and his constituency with distinction. He led world in supporting Ukraine, obtained Brexit performed, and was our most electorally profitable Prime Minister since Margaret Thatcher. Boris is a political titan whose legacy will stand the take a look at of time,” she tweeted on Saturday (10), a day after his resignation.
