David Cameron’s crony-packed resignation honours list published – but two knighthoods disappear
Chancellor Philip Hammond and Commons Leader David Lidington had been in line for the top gong as Mr Cameron showered awards on supporters
KNIGHTHOODS for two serving pro-EU ministers mysteriously disappeared as David Cameron’s crony-packed exit list was finally published this evening – sparking claims Theresa May ordered a Cabinet clampdown.
Chancellor Philip Hammond and Commons Leader David Lidington had been in line for the top gong as Mr Cameron showered awards and peerages on 59 aides, allies and Tory donors.
But Mr Hammond ended up with nothing while Mr Lidington bagged only a CBE on the list dubbed “so full of cronies it would embarrass a medieval court”.
It sparked Westminster speculation they had rejected the baubles under pressure from new PM Mrs May – who has vowed to clean up the shamed system.
Downing Street refused to comment on the claims, while two other Cabinet ministers – Defence Secretary Michael Fallon and Tory Chairman Patrick McLoughlin – did bag knighthoods.
They were among an extraordinary cabal of Cameron cronies given awards, ranging from an exclusive Companion of Honour for George Osborne through to MBEs for two Government car drivers.
Top press aide Craig Oliver was made a “Sir” along with bungling former Cabinet minister Oliver Letwin – known for dumping confidential papers in a public bin.
Donor Andrew Cook – who has given the Tories £1million and bankrolled the pro-EU Remain campaign – was another who got a knighthood, though fellow donor and oil boss Ian Taylor was missing after rejecting one amid bad publicity.
Controversial financier Michael Spencer was also missing from a list of new peers yesterday after being blocked by a Whitehall watchdog, and a Tony Gallagher believed to be a property developer tipped for CBE also dropped off.
But Mr Cameron did manage to pack the House of Lords with another 13 Tories, as well as two cross benchers and a Labour peerage for civil liberties chief Shami Chakrabarti.
It swells the already bloated 797-strong upper house to new record – branded a “sorry legacy” by electoral reform campaigner Katie Ghose.
Among the new peers are Tory treasurer Andrew Fraser, who has given £200,000 to the party and funded the Better Together campaign to keep Scotland in the UK.
Investment banking chief Jitesh Gadhia, who has donated £247,720 and was part of a group of Tory donors who paid at least £50,000 to attend “Dinners with Dave”, also gets a peerage.
Senior Downing Street aides Ed Llewellyn, Gabby Bertin, Camilla Cavendish and Liz Sugg join the House of Lords too – along with Laura Wyld who was head of Mr Cameron’s appointments unit.
It sparked demands for an end to Prime Ministerial patronage.
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Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: “David Cameron’s resignation honours list is so full of cronies it would embarrass a medieval court.
“He is not the first Prime Minister to leave office having rewarded quite so many friends, but he should be the last.
“For the reputation of future leaders, such appointments should be handed over to an independent panel.”
Mr Cameron’s former policy guru Steve Hilton has also criticised the list, branding it a “serious type of very British corruption” and a “symptom of a corrupt and decaying democracy”.