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British ex-Prime Minister Johnson wants his father Stanley appointed sir

2023-03-06T14:30:45.852Z


British ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already maneuvered his brother Jo into the House of Lords, and he also means well with his father. Stanley Johnson is set to be made Sir. Why that might cause trouble.


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Stanley Johnson with son Boris at a campaign appearance in 2019

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Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images

The former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was already noticed by numerous scandals during his term of office from 2019 to 2022, continues to make a name for himself as a simple member of parliament.

The conservative politician wants his father Stanley Johnson to be honored with the title "Sir" in the traditional "Resignation Honours", with which British ex-heads of government can honor deserving personalities after their departure, the Times newspaper reports.

Johnson's 82-year-old father, who was a former MEP (1979-1984), is one of about 100 people on Johnson's list, the report said.

Does Sunak get in the way?

However, it is still unclear whether this will actually happen.

The final decision on the »Resignation Honors« lies with the current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who, as an internal opponent of Johnson, once helped bring about his replacement as Prime Minister by resigning as Finance Minister.

A Sunaks veto could further escalate the dispute with Johnson.

The current Secretary of Culture, Michelle Donelan, was relaxed about the report.

There are much bigger problems, she told broadcaster LBC.

The Times criticized the plans as morally wrong.

A spokesman for Boris Johnson initially did not comment on the report when asked by the Reuters news agency.

Johnson's nomination list holds further potential for controversy

Other personal details could also cause excitement.

According to the newspaper, Johnson wants to appoint four incumbent Conservative Party MPs, including his confidant Nadine Dorries, to life members of the House of Lords.

That would trigger new elections in the constituencies of the parliamentarians - according to polls, the Tories face serious defeats in each case.

However, it wouldn't be the first time Johnson has helped a family member win a title.

Back in 2020, Boris Johnson successfully nominated his brother Jo, also a Tory politician, for a seat in the British House of Lords.

Jo Johnson has been allowed to call himself Baron Johnson of Marylebone since October 2020 and is a life-long member of the House of Lords as a so-called Life Peer.

Critics have long called for reform of the nomination process.

With more than 800 members, the House of Lords is the largest parliamentary chamber in the world after the Chinese People's Congress.

Opposition Labor Party politician Wes Streeting criticized the BBC's report of Johnson's list.

"I think that fits Boris Johnson's pattern of nepotism," Streeting said.

fek/dpa/Reuters

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2023-03-06

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