David Cameron poised to give peerages to string of Tory advisers

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-poised-to-give-peerages-to-string-of-tory-advisers-10446922.html

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David Cameron is poised to give peerages to a string of Conservative advisers as early as this week.

Philippa Stroud, a former aide to Iain Duncan Smith; Simone Finn, an adviser to Francis Maude on Whitehall efficiency; and the Prime Minister’s longstanding gatekeeper Kate Fall are all tipped to be given seats in the House of Lords in the long-awaited dissolution honours list.

The appointments will fuel criticism that Mr Cameron is packing the upper house with Tory cronies after figures revealed that he has handed out peerages at a faster rate than any other prime minister.

Mr Cameron, whose party does not hold a majority in the Lords, is expected to announce more than 50 new peers this week, with about 40 of them Conservatives.