Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UKSign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight<\/p>\n
Boris Johnson has been accused of discrediting the honours system with an \u201cabsolutely outrageous\u201d move to put forward his father Stanley for a knighthood.<\/p>\n
Labour leader Keir Starmer said that move \u2013 one of up 100 names reportedly nominated for honours by the former Tory prime minister \u2013 was \u201cridiculous\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea that Boris Johnson is nominating his dad for a knighthood \u2013 you only need to say it to realise just how ridiculous it is,\u201d Sir Keir told a LBC radio phone-in.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s classic of a man like Johnson. I mean, I think the public will just think this is absolutely outrageous,\u201d adding: \u201cThe idea of an ex-prime minister bestowing honours on his dad \u2013 for services to what?\u201d<\/p>\n
The Times newspaper first reported that the former prime minister, who was kicked out of No 10 by the Tory party last September, has nominated\u00a0Stanley\u00a0Johnson for a knighthood.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the Mr Johnson said: \u201cWe don\u2019t comment on honours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Labour\u2019s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting claimed Mr Johnson had \u201cdiscredited the honours system, discredited the office of prime minister\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Streeting: \u201cGiven Boris Johnson\u2019s conduct, you might argue that Stanley Johnson has got a lot to answer for, actually.\u201d<\/p>\n
SNP MP\u00a0Tommy Sheppard accused Mr Johnson of \u201carrogance\u201d and said he was \u201cmaking a mockery of the honours system \u2013 just like he a made a mockery of British politics\u201d. <\/p>\n
Any honour for\u00a0Mr\u00a0Johnson\u2019s father would raise fresh questions for the former Tory leader, who has already faced accusations of cronyism after nominating his brother Jo Johnson for a peerage in 2020.<\/p>\n
In 2021, senior Tory MP Caroline Nokes and a journalist publicly accused Stanley Johnson \u2013 a former MEP who campaigns on the environment \u2013 of touching them at Tory party conferences.<\/p>\n
Ms Nokes accused Johnson Snr. of forcefully smacking her on the backside and making a vulgar comment at the conference in 2003. He said he had \u201cno recollection\u201d of either incident.<\/p>\n
The 82-year-old, who campaigned for the UK to remain in the EU at the Brexit vote, became a\u00a0French citizen after applying in 2021. Mr Johnson told\u00a0The Independent\u00a0at the time that it was a \u201cvery nice gesture\u201d of the authorities in France.<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson\u2019s resignations honours list has proved highly controversial. He is thought to have chosen more than a dozen of his closest allies for peerages \u2013 including Nadine Dorries and Scottish secretary Alister Jack.<\/p>\n
Previous reports have indicated he is also putting forward former assistant Charlotte Owens, in her late 20s, and 30-year-old aide Ross Kempsell, who previously worked for TalkTV.<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson\u2019s list is currently being vetted by the Cabinet Office. Top officials in Rishi Sunak are said to have concerns about the size of the list and some of those put forward by the former PM.<\/p>\n
The latest row comes as Tory MPs accused Mr Johnson\u00a0of acting like\u00a0Donald Trump\u00a0in his efforts to undermine the\u00a0Partygate\u00a0inquiry into whether he lied to parliament.<\/p>\n
The former prime minister is under growing pressure after the privileges committee released a report saying it would have been \u201cobvious\u201d to Mr Johnson that No 10 gatherings breached\u00a0Covid\u00a0restrictions.<\/p>\n
Mr\u00a0Johnson said it was \u201csurreal\u201d that the committee of MPs relied on evidence from\u00a0Sue Gray\u00a0\u2013 the top civil servant set to be appointed Sir Keir\u2019s chief of staff.<\/p>\n
Tobias Ellwood, Tory chair of the defence select committee, said: \u201cIf we now stay united and disciplined we could win the general election, but not if this latest distraction turns into a Trumpian drag anchor.\u201d<\/p>\n
A senior Tory MP told\u00a0The Observer\u00a0about the claims made by Mr Johnson and allies: \u201cThey have gone full Trump. It is wicked. Where will this end? They are desperate.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UKSign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Boris Johnson has been accused of discrediting the honours system with an \u201cabsolutely outrageous\u201d move to put forward his father Stanley for a knighthood. Labour […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n