Partygate aides among those named in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list but others miss out

Political aides who worked with Boris Johnson during the partygate scandal are among those who have been nominated for honours in his resignation list.

The former prime minister’s highly anticipated resignation honours list has been published and includes Martin Reynolds, his former principal private secretary, who later earned the nickname “party Marty” for his role in a “bring your own booze” party during the pandemic.

Politics Live: Boris Johnson resignation honours list revealed

Mr Reynolds, who was awarded with a Companion of the Bath (CB), rose to prominence at the heart of the parties scandal when he sent an email on 20 May 2020 inviting people for “socially distanced drinks” in the Number 10 garden during the first national lockdown.

Mr Johnson also gave a CBE to Jack Doyle, his former director of communications, and a peerage to his chief of staff Dan Rosenfield, both of whom were in office during much of the partygate rule-breaking era.

Other aides to get honours include the former communications director Guto Harri, who has launched a tell-all podcast about his time in Number 10, parliament hairdresser Kelly-Jo Dodge and Sarah Vaughan Brown, a former personal adviser to Mr Johnson’s wife Carrie.

Charlotte Owen, a former adviser to Mr Johnson who graduated in 2015, will become the youngest ever life peer.

Key political allies of Mr Johnson have also been rewarded, including former cabinet ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Priti Patel.

Ms Patel, the former home secretary, has been nominated for a damehood, along with former ministers Andrea Jenkyns and Amanda Milling.

Mr Rees-Mogg was given a knighthood alongside former housing secretary Simon Clarke and MPs Conor Burns and Michael Fabricant.

Read More: Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list in full

Tees Valley Mayor Benjamin Houchen and London Assembly member Shaun Bailey are among seven nominations for peerages.

However, while there are some controversial appointments, former minister Nadine Dorries and former Cop26 president Sir Alok Sharma were not put forward for the House of Lords.

There had been reports that the pair were in line to receive peerages but the government cut them from the list at the eleventh hour to avoid the prospect of two potentially damaging by-elections.

Ms Dorries stood down with “immediate effect” hours before the list was published – meaning a by-election will go ahead in her constituency anyway.

She said “something significant happened” to influence her decision, but when asked if Mr Sunak had revoked a peerage she told TalkTV: “A prime minister doesn’t have the ability to change the list of a former prime minister.”

Another notable absence includes Mr Johnson’s father Stanley Johnson, who The Times reported had been cut after No 10 raised objections.

After the list was published, Mr Sunak’s press secretary sought to distance the prime minister from the list.

They insisted that Mr Sunak had “no involvement or input” into the list, and has published it “unamended”.

But Lord Newby, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, called Mr Johnson’s resignation honours list a “clear failure of leadership” from the prime minister.

“Boris Johnson caused crisis after crisis in this country. His lack of honour means he didn’t deserve an honours list in the first place,” he said.

‘Sickening insult’

Opposition MPs were also scathing in their assessment of the list, with Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner calling it a “sickening insult” to COVID victims and Deputy Lib Dem leader Daisy Cooper calling it “corruption pure and simple.”

Ms Rayner said: “Instead of tackling the cost-of-living crisis, the Tories are spending their time doling out rewards for those who tried to cover up rule-breaking and toadied to a disgraced former prime minister.

“It’s a sickening insult that those who planned COVID parties and held boozy lockdown bashes while families were unable to mourn loved ones are now set to be handed gongs by Rishi Sunak.”

A former ally of Mr Johnson also called the list “an utter disgrace”, telling Sky News’ political correspondent Joe Pike: “It rewards for failure all round.

“A list of bullies, sycophants & slimeballs. Boris has slammed the door shut on the prospect of any return to the frontline of British politics and trashed what remained of his legacy.”

Mr Johnson announced he would be leaving Downing Street almost 10 months ago following the collapse of his government.

There have been numerous reports since Mr Johnson left office that his list was initially too long, with opposition parties also accusing him of appointing allies to the House of Lords and abusing the system.

The prime minister’s resignation honours are granted by an outgoing prime minister according to tradition.

A prime minister can request the reigning monarch to grant peerages, knighthoods, damehoods or other awards in the British honours system to any number of people.

In the case of peerages, the House of Lords Appointments Commission vets the list.

Often, but not always, Downing Street staff, political aides and MPs are rewarded through the system.