Ex-UK PM Boris Johnson rewards allies in resignation honours

Boris Johnson awarded his political aides and allies with some of Britain's highest honours to mark his resignation as prime minister, including some who attended in parties in government buildings during COVID-19 lockdowns. Johnson's list, long delayed following his resignation last year, is expected to renew criticism of the system under which outgoing prime ministers can nominate people for peerages, knighthoods, and other awards when they leave office.

Boris Johnson awarded his political aides and allies with some of Britain's highest honours to mark his resignation as prime minister, including some who attended in parties in government buildings during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Johnson's list, long delayed following his resignation last year, is expected to renew criticism of the system under which outgoing prime ministers can nominate people for peerages, knighthoods, and other awards when they leave office. The former prime minister nominated Conservative party politicians, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, Conor Burns and Simon Clarke for knighthoods, and his former chief of staff Dan Rosenfield and the current Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen for peerages.

Martin Reynolds, Johnson's former principal private secretary, is one of his aides who was given a Companion of the Bath award for public service. In May 2020 when Britain had lockdown measures Reynolds had invited people to the Downing Street garden for "socially distanced drinks" where people were invited to "bring your own booze". He later boasted to colleagues on social media that staff appeared to have "got away" with the drinks event.

Johnson nominated 45 people in total for awards, which is fewer than other recent prime ministers. Theresa May nominated 57 people when she stood down in 2019, and David Cameron put forward 59 people in 2016. Johnson is fighting for his political future with a parliamentary inquiry investigating whether he misled the House of Commons when he said all COVID-19 rules were followed.

Parliament's privileges committee could recommend Johnson is suspended from parliament for more than 10 days if they find he did mislead parliament recklessly or deliberately, potentially triggering an election for his seat.