LONDON— The former Prime Minister’s resignation honors list took center stage at today’s Prime Minister’s Questions, with the Labor leader, Sir Keir Starmer, accusing Rishi Sunak of being “too weak” to block Boris Johnson’s honors list. The scrutiny comes as the government initiates the formal process of calling by-elections for Sunak’s seat and that of another close ally.
During the heated exchange at PMQs, Starmer questioned Sunak’s handling of the honors list, saying, “Those who threw a Downing Street party, the night before the late Queen sat alone at her husband’s funeral, will now receive awards from the King. If he is so tough, why didn’t he block it?”
In response, Sunak defended his actions, stating, “Mr. Speaker, as I said, I and the Government followed due process and convention. Prime Ministers of both parties have always upheld the convention of non-interference on political honors.”
Starmer continued to criticize the honors list, arguing, “Honors should be for public service, not cronyism. Isn’t it the case that he was too weak to block Johnson’s list, and that also means that those who spent their time helping cover up Johnson’s law-breaking are rewarded by becoming lawmakers for the rest of their lives?”
Pushing back, Sunak countered, “He talks about putting people in the House of Lords, perhaps he could explain why he put forward for a peerage the former Labor MP Tom Watson, who spread vicious conspiracy theories that were totally and utterly untrue, damaged public discourse, and inflicted misery on innocent people.”
The rift between Sunak and his predecessor Boris Johnson deepens, with the honors list handed out by Johnson upon his departure now becoming a point of contention. Johnson dismissed the claims made by Sunak, stating they were “rubbish” and denying any involvement in overriding the vetting process. Additionally, Nadine Dorries has criticized the Prime Minister, accusing him of blocking her peerage, an allegation he has refuted.
This ongoing drama continues to plague the Prime Minister Sunak as he navigates these challenges.
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