PM pummelled by Brexiteers for packing Queen’s Honours list full of pro-EU pals
List includes 20 business bosses and luvvies who've backed David Cameron in EU referendum
DAVID Cameron was plunged into a fierce cronyism row after the Queen’s Birthday Honours list was packed with pro-EU supporters.
Furious Brexit backers accused Downing Street of “abusing” the Honours system as top gongs were showered on nearly 20 business chiefs and luvvies who have run to the PM’s side during the Referendum battle.
They include a knighthood for former private equity king Damon Buffini, who has donated to the official In campaign and also gave the Tories £3,000 last year.
Universal Music Group boss Lucian Grainge was also made a Sir, just weeks after he joined almost 200 other business leaders in signing a letter saying Britain is “better off” in the EU.
Other bosses who put their name to the letter praising Mr Cameron’s EU renegotiation on February 23 got awards. Richard Reed, the Innocent Drinks founder and deputy chair of the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign, receives a CBE.
Mr Reed – who describes the EU as “fantastic” - has played a key role in the In campaign, donating more than £7,500 and organising a separate letter of entrepreneurs backing Remain.
Keith Cochrane, chief executive of Weir Group, who signed the PM’s pro-EU business letter in February also got a CBE – as did Fujitsu UK chairman Simon Blagden.
While Mr Bladgen didn't sign the letter, Fujistu’s European boss Michael Keegan did. And George Osborne was in Japan the company’s overall chief Masami Yamamoto said Fujitsu would “really like the UK to remain in the EU”.
Another step down the honours ladder, an OBE was doled out to posh grocery delivery firm Ocado founder Tim Steiner who signed the February FTSE letter.
Elsewhere, Brian Blessed, who signed the In Campaign’s pro-EU letter from the ‘creative industries’ gets an OBE. So does West End theatre producer Sonia Anne Friedman, who also signed up to the Remain campaign.
Vote Leave chair Gisela Stuart last night accused David Cameron and George Osborne of “abusing” the Honours system to keep Britain in the EU.
The Labour MP stormed: “David Cameron and George Osborne have used every single ounce of their power to try and bully and frighten the British people into backing their campaign to keep us in the EU.
“But abusing our honours system to reward campaign cronies and donors is a new low.
“People in this country are sick of the establishment doing these shabby stitch ups and will view this as bordering on the corrupt.”
She added: “Enough is enough. This clique of over-privileged and out of touch men need to wake up to the change that is happening across the country.”
A Government source insisted the Honours system was an “independent process” and that people from both sides of the campaign had received gongs. He cited rewards for Brexit-backers, Tory MP Desmond Swanye, the DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson and Paul Marshall, the hedge fund tycoon.
But the exhaustive list of pro-EU supporters on the list will infuriate Brexit-backers – already furious at the way the full weight of the Government machine has been used to campaign to Remain.
John Kingman, one of the key figures at the Treasury during the start of the Referendum campaign is being made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
Elsewhere, property website Zoopla co-founder Alex Chesterman also got an OBE. He signed Mr Reed’s entrepreneurs’ letter and has said leaving “would create both economic and political uncertainty, which could have a material impact on our currency, borrowing rates, house prices and wider consumer prices”.
Mr Chesterman also donated £10,000 to the Tories this year.
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The honours list, celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday, was also packed with other Tory cronies as gongs were debased again. Direct Line founder Peter Wood, who has donated more than £200,000 to the Conservatives since 2009, was also given a knighthood.
Computacenter chief Philip Hulme, who gave £10,000 to Tory MP Nick Herbert in 2013, was knighted as well.
A CBE went to Steve Bell, president of the National Conservative Convention, while Tory council leaders Philip Atkins and Paul Bettison got OBEs.
Tory head of fundraising Mike Chattey scooped an OBE, with an MBE going to Heather Harper who is chairman of Conservatives Abroad.
Downing Street civil servant Edward Whiting, Deputy Principal Private Secretary in the PM’s office, got an OBE and Number 10 facilities manager Alfred John Smith bagged an MBE.
In another EU-related award, Treasury civil servant Malcolm Arthur McCarthy got an MBE. He is the Government’s EU payments expert.
In a statement, the Cabinet Office said: “Nominations for honours were considered by the independent committees long before the Referendum was announced.
“Political preference does not play a factor when considering nomination. Each case is considered on merit.”