PA
Rishi Sunak handed a knighthood to a Tory minister who gambled on the election date just hours before the polls closed on Thursday evening, the Mirror has revealed.
The betting scandal surrounding the election date threatened to derail the Tory campaign in the final weeks of the contest, with the Tories withdrawing support for Craig Williams, who was Sunak’s parliamentary aide, and Laura Saunders.
But Alister Jack, who admitted placing three bets on the election date, has been handed a peerage in the dissolution honours list, which will be Sunak’s final act as PM.
He also gave knighthoods to his deputy, Oliver Dowden, and a peerage to Graham Brady, the outgoing chair of the Tory 1922 Committee.
Craig Mackinlay, the former Tory MP for South Thanet who lost his hands and feet to sepsis, was also honoured, and Liam Booth Smith will be installed for life in the House of Lords.
Former Deputy PM Therese Coffey, ex-chief whip Julian Smith and former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace were all given knighthoods and damehoods.
Labour’s nominations for peerages include Dame Margaret Beckett and Harriet Harman, both former deputy leaders of the party. Labour MPs Margaret Hodge, Kevan Jones, Barbara Keely, John Spellar and Rosie Winterton will all become Lords.
Related: ‘Not a good night for SNP’, says Sturgeon as exit poll suggests seat collapse
