Prime Minister's Resignation Honours

The Prime Minister's Resignation Honours in the United Kingdom are honours granted at the behest of an outgoing prime minister following their resignation. In such a list, a prime minister may ask the monarch to bestow peerages, or lesser honours, on any number of people of their choosing. In 1997, an additional 47 working peers were created at the behest of the three main parties.

History

Since May 2007, the House of Lords Appointments Commission has had to approve proposed peerages, while oversight by the Honours Committee within the Cabinet Office ensures that other honours are appropriate.^[1][2] Some previous lists had attracted criticism. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair did not issue a list by June 2007, apparently because of the "Cash for Honours scandal".^[3] Gordon Brown did not publish a resignation honours list either,^[4][5] but a dissolution list was issued on his advice (to similar effect).^[6]

David Cameron revived the practice in his Resignation Honours published in August 2016, following his resignation a month earlier.^[7] Some names on the list were leaked to the press several days in advance.^[8] A number of proposed recipients were reportedly blocked on ethical grounds.^[9] His successors, Theresa May and Boris Johnson, followed suit in September 2019 and 2022/23.^[10][11]

Criticism

Resignation honours have been denounced by some as an example of cronyism. The 1976 resignation honours of Harold Wilson—which became known as the "Lavender List"—had caused controversy as a number of recipients were wealthy businessmen whose principles were considered antithetic to those held by the Labour Party at the time.

David Cameron's list was described by The New Statesman as a "who's who of failed Remainers".^[12]

Theresa May's list was criticised with SNP MP Pete Wishart likening it to "handing out peerages like sweeties to the same Tory advisers who got us into this Brexit mess".^[12][13]

Liz Truss was confirmed to be eligible for a resignation honours list, despite only having been Prime Minister for seven weeks; this caused considerable controversy, with Alastair Campbell saying that she and Boris Johnson had "disgraced and debased an office they should never have held".^[14] On 25 March 2023, The Sun and i newspapers reported Truss had submitted a Resignation Honours list recommending four people for honours.^[15]

References

1. Blair's resignation honours list to be vetted The Guardian, 15 May 2007
2. PM resignation gongs to be vetted BBC News, 16 May 2007
3. "Blair misses deadline for resignation honours". The Guardian. 22 June 2007.
4. Moss, Vincent (16 May 2010). "Gordon Brown to award peerages to John Prescott and Sue Nye". Mirror Online. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
5. . PoliticsHome. Dods Parliamentary Communications. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
6. Kennedy, Maev (1 August 2016). "From Lloyd George to the lavender list: the history of honours scandals". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
7. "Resignation Honours 2016". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
8. Hope, Christopher; Swinford, Steven (12 July 2016). "Number 10 aides Ed Llewellyn and Craig Oliver to top 'Dave's cronies' resignation honours list". The Telegraph. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
9. Stone, Jon (22 July 2016). "David Cameron's farewell honours list blocked by Whitehall over 'ethical' suitability of some appointments". The Independent. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
10. "Boycott 'doesn't give a toss' about award critics". BBC News. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
11. "Resignation Honours 2019". Cabinet Office. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019 – via Gov.UK.
12. Gill, Martha (12 July 2022). "Abolish the resignation honours list before Boris Johnson makes a mockery of us all". The New Statesman. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
13. Rea, Ailbhe (10 September 2019). "Is Theresa May's honours list normal?". The New Statesman. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
14. "Outrage as Liz Truss gets a resignation honours list". The Evening Standard. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
15. Catt, Helen; Seddon, Sean (25 March 2023). "Liz Truss resignation honours list criticised by ex-aides". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 25 March 2023.