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| Boris Johnson asked me to intervene in honours list, says Rishi Sunak | Boris Johnson asked me to intervene in honours list, says Rishi Sunak |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rishi Sunak: "Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn't prepared to do" | Rishi Sunak: "Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn't prepared to do" |
| Rishi Sunak: "Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn't prepared to do" | Rishi Sunak: "Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn't prepared to do" |
| Rishi Sunak has accused Boris Johnson of asking him to "overrule" a panel vetting his resignation list appointments to the House of Lords. | Rishi Sunak has accused Boris Johnson of asking him to "overrule" a panel vetting his resignation list appointments to the House of Lords. |
| But Mr Johnson has hit back in a fiery statement, accusing Mr Sunak of "talking rubbish". | But Mr Johnson has hit back in a fiery statement, accusing Mr Sunak of "talking rubbish". |
| The House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) has confirmed it rejected eight of the former prime minister's nominations. | The House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) has confirmed it rejected eight of the former prime minister's nominations. |
| Earlier, Mr Sunak said Mr Johnson asked him to override their recommendations. | Earlier, Mr Sunak said Mr Johnson asked him to override their recommendations. |
| Mr Sunak said he refused, adding it was "something I wasn't prepared to do". | Mr Sunak said he refused, adding it was "something I wasn't prepared to do". |
| "I didn't think that was right. And if people don't like that, then tough," Mr Sunak told a tech conference in London. | "I didn't think that was right. And if people don't like that, then tough," Mr Sunak told a tech conference in London. |
| A few hours later, Mr Johnson told the BBC it "was not necessary to overrule HOLAC - but simply to ask them to renew their vetting, which was a mere formality". | A few hours later, Mr Johnson told the BBC it "was not necessary to overrule HOLAC - but simply to ask them to renew their vetting, which was a mere formality". |
| The intervention marks a new point in an escalating war of words over Mr Johnson's controversial resignation honours list. | The intervention marks a new point in an escalating war of words over Mr Johnson's controversial resignation honours list. |
| Patel and Rees-Mogg rewarded in Johnson honours list | Patel and Rees-Mogg rewarded in Johnson honours list |
| The ghost of Boris Johnson haunts Rishi Sunak | The ghost of Boris Johnson haunts Rishi Sunak |
| Country doesn't miss Johnson drama, says Shapps | Country doesn't miss Johnson drama, says Shapps |
| Mr Johnson announced he was quitting Parliament on Friday over a report from the Privileges Committee, who were investigating whether he had misled MPs about lockdown parties in Downing Street. | Mr Johnson announced he was quitting Parliament on Friday over a report from the Privileges Committee, who were investigating whether he had misled MPs about lockdown parties in Downing Street. |
| It came hours after Downing Street published his resignation honours list without the names of key supporters, including Nadine Dorries, Sir Alok Sharma and Nigel Adams. | It came hours after Downing Street published his resignation honours list without the names of key supporters, including Nadine Dorries, Sir Alok Sharma and Nigel Adams. |
| All three had been expecting to be appointed to the House of Lords. Competing claims have now surfaced about how and why the names were removed. | All three had been expecting to be appointed to the House of Lords. Competing claims have now surfaced about how and why the names were removed. |
| Mr Adams and Ms Dorries have both announced they will be immediately standing down as MPs, triggering by-elections to replace them. | Mr Adams and Ms Dorries have both announced they will be immediately standing down as MPs, triggering by-elections to replace them. |
| The process of vetting Mr Johnson's nominees for peerages appears to be the one of the points of disagreement between Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak. | |
| There has been speculation in media reports about what would happen if a serving MP was nominated for a peerage, and whether they could remain in the House of Commons until the next general election, before taking up their seats in the Lords. | |
| But HOLAC says its vetting checks expire after six months, meaning its advice on nominations is only valid for that period. | |
| In his statement, Mr Johnson appears to be suggesting the vetting checks for his nominees could be carried out again, at a later date. | |
| Nominations row | Nominations row |
| As a departing prime minister, Mr Johnson has the right to nominate people for seats in the House of Lords, and for other honours such as knighthoods. | |
| By convention, current prime ministers pass on the list of nominees to HOLAC, which can recommend their names do not go forward after a vetting process. | By convention, current prime ministers pass on the list of nominees to HOLAC, which can recommend their names do not go forward after a vetting process. |
| HOLAC advises prime ministers on the suitability of candidates for peerages and usually, they accept its recommendations on appointments, whatever the outcome. | HOLAC advises prime ministers on the suitability of candidates for peerages and usually, they accept its recommendations on appointments, whatever the outcome. |
| But Mr Johnson broke with this convention in 2020, when he nominated businessman Peter Cruddas for a peerage, despite his rejection by HOLAC. | But Mr Johnson broke with this convention in 2020, when he nominated businessman Peter Cruddas for a peerage, despite his rejection by HOLAC. |
| On Sunday, a spokesman for the vetting commission said it had rejected eight of Mr Johnson's nominations, but declined to name them or say why, adding it "does not comment on individuals". | On Sunday, a spokesman for the vetting commission said it had rejected eight of Mr Johnson's nominations, but declined to name them or say why, adding it "does not comment on individuals". |
| Downing Street has insisted that Mr Sunak passed on Mr Johnson's list of nominations unaltered. It says it also accepted HOLAC's full approved list and passed it to the King. | Downing Street has insisted that Mr Sunak passed on Mr Johnson's list of nominations unaltered. It says it also accepted HOLAC's full approved list and passed it to the King. |
| But on Monday, a source describing themselves as an ally of Mr Johnson accused the prime minister of "secretly" blocking peerages for "Nadine and others". | But on Monday, a source describing themselves as an ally of Mr Johnson accused the prime minister of "secretly" blocking peerages for "Nadine and others". |
| "He refused to ask for them to undergo basic checks that could have taken only a few weeks or even days," the source added. | "He refused to ask for them to undergo basic checks that could have taken only a few weeks or even days," the source added. |
| "That is how he kept them off the list - without telling Boris Johnson." | "That is how he kept them off the list - without telling Boris Johnson." |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Boris Johnson | Boris Johnson |
| Rishi Sunak | Rishi Sunak |
| House of Lords | House of Lords |