Boris Johnson has nominated Labour rebels in the Government’s proposed list of 36 new peers in the House of Lords – but has not named Jeremy Corbyn’s reported nominations Tom Watson and John Bercow.
The Government published its list of proposed peerages and political honours on Friday, confirming that Labour Brexiteers are set to be elevated.
Former MPs who rebelled against Labour to back Brexit, including Kate Hoey, Ian Austin, Frank Field and Gisela Stuart, are all set to receive peerages.
But the list failed to include Tom Watson and former speaker John Bercow, who were both reportedly nominated by the former Labour leader.
Boris Johnson has nominated Labour rebels in the Government’s proposed list of 36 new peers in the House of Lords, including Vote Leave campaign chair Gisela Stuart
Former Labour MP Frank Field, who quit the party in protest at Mr Corbyn’s stance, was also included in the list of proposed peerages published on Friday
Former MPs who rebelled against Labour to back the Brexit, including Kate Hoey, Ian Austin (above), Frank Field and Gisela Stuart, are all set to receive peerages
Ms Hoey, who served as Labour’s Vauxhall MP for 30 years until not standing for re-election last year, was among five MPs who defied the whip to vote with the Conservatives on a Brexit amendment in 2018.
Ms Hoey was a member of the Labour Leave group, alongside Mr Field, who has also been nominated for a peerage.
The Vote Leave campaign was chaired by Ms Stuart, defying the Labour Party’s Remain stance.
John Woodcock, who never backed Brexit and supported a second referendum, is also among those set to be given a peerage.
But Mr Woodcock, who had the Labour whip withdrawn after a sexual harassment allegation, which he denied, did not support former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Mr Woodcock said he would vote for the Conservatives to stop Mr Corbyn ‘getting his hands on the levers of national security and defence’.
He was joined by Mr Austin, who urged voters to support Boris Johnson to stop Mr Corbyn from becoming prime minister.
Mr Austin and Mr Field both quit the party in protest at Mr Corbyn’s stance.
Mr Woodcock has taken to Twitter to announce his delight at the nomination.
He said: ‘It’s a huge honour to be put forward as a peer. I’ve agreed to continue my work as UK special envoy on countering violent extremism as a non-aligned member.
‘Relishing the chance to speak up once again for the causes I championed as an MP and for the community we love.’
John Woodcock, who never backed Brexit and supported a second referendum, is also among those set to be given a peerage, according to the Government’s nominations
Mr Woodcock, who said he would vote Conservative to block Jeremy Corbyn, took to Twitter to announce his delight at being nominated for a peerage
Kate Hoey, who served as Labour’s Vauxhall MP for 30 years, was among five MPs who defied the whip to vote with the Conservatives on a Brexit amendment in 2018
Mr Austin, a former Labour minister, urged ‘decent, traditional, patriotic Labour voters’ to back the Conservatives.
But there were some notable absentees from the list, as some of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s reported nominations were not included.
The Prime Minister has not named Labour’s former deputy leader Tom Watson and the last Commons speaker John Bercow on the list, despite it being tradition for the Government to put the retiring speaker’s name forward for a peerage.
But Mr Bercow was said to have been rejected by the independent Lords appointment commission because of a series of bullying claims, which he denied.
Mr Watson, Labour’s former deputy leader, is thought to have been blocked because of his role in highlighting fantasist Carl Beech’s false allegations of a paedophile ring in Westminster.
This led to dawn raids on the homes of the late military chief Lord Bramall, former Tory Home Secretary Lord Brittan and ex-MP Harvey Proctor.
But Mr Johnson did pick Conservative former chancellors Ken Clarke and Philip Hammond for peerages, after he stripped them from the Tory whip after they defied him over Brexit.
The Prime Minister has also come under fire since the peerage list was announced, being accused by his political rivals of ‘cronyism’.
Boris Johnson has not named Labour’s former deputy leader Tom Watson and the last Commons speaker John Bercow on the list of proposed peerages
John Bercow (pictured), said to have been rejected for a peerage by the independent Lords appointment commission because of a series of bullying claims, which he denied
He nominated his brother Jo Johnson, his chief strategic adviser Sir Edward Lister and several Tory grandees for peerages.
Lord Fowler, a former Conservative cabinet minister, said the House will ‘soon be nearly 830 strong’, accusing Mr Johnson of ‘the abandonment of an established policy’ to reduce its size.
The Liberal Democrats’ leader in the Lords, Lord Newby, added: ‘By giving a large number of his cronies peerages, he has shown that the Tories have abandoned any pretence of reducing the size of the bloated House of Lords.’
Mr Johnson’s long-term ally Sir Edward, who supported him as London mayor, also made the nominations.
Theresa May’s husband Philip is also destined for a knighthood, the list of nominations revealed.
Others to get nominations include Charles Moore, the former Daily Telegraph editor and Margaret Thatcher biographer, and Claire Fox, who was a Brexit Party MEP.