Senior Conservatives have reacted with dismay over Boris Johnson’s “absurd” plan to give his father a knighthood in his resignation honours list.
The former prime minister is believed to have included Stanley Johnson as part of a list of up to 100 names he has reportedly put forward.
Speaking to The Independent, former cabinet minister David Davis said: “I think it’s ridiculous. It’s discrediting the honours system, which is rather a good one in that it doesn’t cost money and it recognises achievements of ordinary people.
“There has been progressive corrosion of public trust in this system, so it doesn’t help to undermine that trust further just because of a family favour. It’s corrosive.”
A former Tory minister added: “The idea of Sir Stanley would be ridiculous nepotism, completely without merit. The trouble with Boris is he tarnishes everything he touches. And now he is discrediting the entire honours system.”
The senior figure said: “The honours committee should weed out the majority of these names and spare Rishi Sunak the embarrassment of having to veto them and correct Boris’s bad judgement.”
Another ex-Tory minister told The Independent Johnson putting his dad forward for a knighthood was “another bizarre moment” from the former party leader.
And it may only be the tip of the iceberg.
According to Byline Investigates, the editor of the Daily Mail will also be nominated for a title by Johnson.
If true, it will yet again put the spotlight on the cushy relationship enjoyed between the former PM and the right-wing newspaper.
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