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Boris Johnson has faced accusations of
cronyism after handing peerages to the
newspaper owner Evgeny Lebedev,
several Tory grandees and Brexiteers,
and his own brother.
The prime minister has nominated
several of his close allies, including Sir
Eddie Lister, his chief strategic adviser,
and the Tory donor Michael Spencer.
Mr Johnson’s brother, Jo, who dealt him
a blow last year by resigning from his
cabinet, will also receive a peerage. The
Eleni Courea, Patrick Maguire
Sean O’Neill
Theresa May’s husband has received a
knighthood — a move that means the
former prime minister will also have a
new title.
Philip May, a constant presence at
the side of his wife through her premier-
ship and arguably her most influential
adviser, has been honoured by his wife’s
successor for “political service”.
The investment banker’s new title
means that his wife will be styled as
Lady May in an echo of the last female
prime minister. After Margaret Thatch-
er resigned in 1990 John Major granted
her husband, Denis, a baronetcy. His
wife was thus styled Lady Thatcher, the
title by which she was known until she
received a life peerage in 1992 and be-
came Baroness Thatcher.
Ray Puddifoot, the Conservative
leader of Hillingdon council, part of
Boris Johnson’s constituency, is also to
be knighted.
Mr Johnson’s decision to award SirFormer PM now Lady May
after husband is knighted
Philip, 62, a knighthood accords his
predecessor, whose stint in No 10 was
marred by sedition from Mr Johnson,
belated recompense for her
inauspicious exit last year. A familiar
presence in Westminster during his
wife’s three years in office, Sir Philip
bears partial responsibility for her most
acute humiliation. She called the 2017
general election after seeking his coun-
sel and subsequently lost her majority.
The honour is also a reward for Sir
Philip’s five decades of Tory activism.
The party’s voluntary wing was the
crucible for his 40-year marriage to
Lady May. The couple met at an Oxford
University Conservative Association
disco in 1976.
Opposition figures criticised his
knighthood. Stewart McDonald, an
SNP MP, said: “Theresa May’s hus-
band, Philip, is to be knighted for ‘polit-
ical services’. The only thing I’ve ever
seen him do was stand beside his wife
on the day she became PM and do the
same on the day she stopped being PM.”Patrick Maguire Red Box Reporterennoblement of Mr Lebedev, son of a
former KGB agent, who owns the Even-
ing Standard and The Independent,
comes days after the intelligence and
security committee warned of the
growing influence of a “Russian elite” in
British life.
Darren Hughes, of the Electoral Re-
form Society, said: “By appointing a
host of ex-MPs, party loyalists and his
own brother, the prime minister is invit-
ing total derision. That he can get away
with it shows what a private members’
club this House is.”
Duncan Hames, of TransparencyInternational UK, said that Lords
appointments “should only be on merit
and never in return for anything, be
that loyalty, vocal support or party
funds raised”.
Other nominees include prominent
Tories, including the former Scottish
leader Ruth Davidson and two former
chancellors, Ken Clarke and Philip
Hammond. Mr Clarke and Mr Ham-
mond were stripped of the party whip
last year after they defied Mr Johnson
over Brexit. Peerages have also been
handed to prominent Brexit backers
such as Sir Ian Botham, the formerEngland cricketer, and former Labour
MPs who rebelled against their party’s
position, including Kate Hoey, Ian Aus-
tin, John Woodcock and Gisela Stuart.
Peerages are given to Charles Moore,
former editor of The Daily Telegraph
and biographer of Margaret Thatcher,
and Claire Fox, who was a Brexit Party
MEP.
John Bercow has not been put for-
ward, in a break with the convention
that the government elevates departing
Commons Speakers to the Lords. The
list includes 36 names, which will take
the number of peers to nearly 830. Lord
Fowler, the Lord Speaker and former
Conservative cabinet minister, accused
the prime minister of “a massive policy
U-turn” by swelling the upper
chamber.
Absent from the list were three of
Jeremy Corbyn’s initial nomina-
tions. The former Labour leader
had proposed peerages for Mr Ber-
cow, Tom Watson, his former dep-
uty, and Karie Murphy, his chief of
staff. All were rejected by the ap-
pointment commission amid con-
cerns about their conduct. Mr Ber-
cow is the subject of a complaint of
bullying, which he denies. Mr
Watson was criticised for his
support of Carl Beech, who made
false allegations of a Westminster
paedophile ring, and Ms Murphy
has long been a divisive figure. In
their place Mr Corbyn nominated
Katy Clark, a member of his inner
circle, and Tony Woodley, former-
ly joint general secretary of Unite.
Mr Lebedev, who has British cit-
izenship — he was educated in
Britain after his father was sta-
tioned at the Russian embassy —
told the Leveson inquiry in 2012
that he was close to Mr Johnson,
who was then mayor of London. He
said: “There are various degrees of
friendship but, yes, I consider him as a
friend.” He made George Osborne, the
former Conservative chancellor, editor
of the Standard in 2017 until he replaced
him in June with Emily Sheffield, David
Cameron’s sister-in-law.
Mr Osborne was a visitor to Mr
Lebedev’s castle in Italy, where he has
hosted renowned parties, including a
2018 event attended by Mr Johnson,
who was then foreign secretary. He was
reported to have met Mr Lebedev’s
father, Alexander, the former spy
turned businessman.News Honours
Son of KGB agent and Johnson’s