Boris and Carrie Johnson's DOG WALKER AND HAIRDRESSER given honours as new peerages announced

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson

PA
Jack Walters

By Jack Walters


Published: 09/06/2023

- 17:25

Updated: 10/06/2023

- 09:16

The former PM’s resignation honours and peerages lists were released after weeks of speculation about who would make the cut

Carrie Symonds’ dog walker and Parliament's hairdresser have been awarded for their political and public services as Boris Johnson released his honours and peerages lists.

The ex-Prime Minister listed 38 people on his honours list and seven figures have been made life peers in the House of Lords.


Sarah Vaughan-Brown, formerly personal adviser to Johnson’s third-wife Carrie, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her political and public service.

The 48-year-old's role included walking the couple's four-legged pet Dilyn.

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Carrie Symonds' former aide was named on Boris Johnson's resignation honours list

gbnews

Kelly Dodge, who is described as a long-time parliamentary hairdresser, was also made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her service in Westminster.

Johnson has also put two former aides into the House of Lords who are in their thirties.

Ross Kempsell served as political director at the Conservative Party and Charlotte Owen worked as a special adviser to the ex-Prime Minister.

The pair will be joined in the upper chamber by ex-London Mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey, former aide Ben Gascoigne, Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, ex-City Hall adviser Kulveer Ranger and former Downing Street chief of staff Daniel Rosenfield.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

GB News presenter Jacob Rees-Mogg was given a knighthood

GB News

Ex-Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and former COP26 President Alok Sharma were not listed on Johnson's peerages list.

Dorries, a staunch ally to the former Prime Minister, resigned with immediate effect earlier today sparking a by-election in her Mid Bedfordshire constituency.

The 66-year-old previously suggested she would hold out until the next election but quit following a "significant" change.

The decision not to include any serving MPs on Johnson's peerages list means Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will avoid having to defend any by-elections as a result of his former boss' resignation rewards.

Ex-Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries arrives in Downing Street, London for a Cabinet meeting

Nadine Dorries, who resigned as an MP earlier today, was not included on either list

PA

Sunak approved Johnson's resignation lists and "forwarded it unamended" to King Charles, the Prime Minister's press secretary has said.

The press secretary added: "He had no involvement or input into the approved list."

European Scrutiny Committee chair Sir William Cash became a member of the Order of the Companions Honour.

Ex-Home Secretary Priti Patel was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak approved Boris Johnson's lists

Reuters

Knighthoods were given to ex-Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns, former Levelling-Up Secretary Simon Clarke, Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant and GB News presenter Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Long-standing Johnson aide Guto Harri and ex-Number 10 director of communications Jack Doyle were among those made Commanders of the Order of the British Empire.

Ex-Work & Pensions Secretary Esther McVey and Shipley MP Phillip Davies commented on the "predictable" lists released on the Government website.

Davies told GB News: "Boris is very loyal to people who are very loyal to Boris."

Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson is said to have rewarded those who have been supportive of him

PA

Commenting on Rees-Mogg's inclusion, McVey added: "He was his biggest champion so I would say without doubt that Boris would not have been leader without Jacob Rees-Mogg."

Former Prisons Minister Ann Widdecombe, who was later elected to Brussels as a Brexit Party MEP, also said: "He's rewarded those who were most loyal to him.

"He's rewarded those who worked hardest for him.

"If they made mistakes along the way then he's obviously discarded that in favour of rewarding loyalty."

However, the Liberal Democrats have condemned Johnson over his resignation lists and put pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for approving his request.

Angela Rayner

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner described the resignation lists as "shameful"

PA

Daisy Cooper, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "Boris Johnson has been allowed to hand out gongs to his Partygate pals, and Rishi Sunak has just waved it through.

"We've gone from the lavender list to the catalogue of cronies. This is corruption pure and simple."

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner described the resignation lists as "shameful".

She lamented Sunak for failing to "stand up to his former boss' outrageous demands".

Rayner added: "He promised integrity, but this weak prime minister is once again showing his appalling judgement by doing Boris Johnson's bidding."

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