Rishi Sunak criticised for ‘surprise’ honours list including major Tory donor Mohamed Mansour
Rishi Sunak has been criticised for announcing a “surprise” round of honours – including a knighthood for a major donor to the Conservative Party.
It was announced on the Thursday before the Easter bank holiday weekend that Mohamed Mansour was being knighted for business, charity and political service – he had given £5m to the Tories in 2023 and is a senior treasurer at the party.
A number of Conservative MPs were also made knights and dames.
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Labour’s chair, Anneliese Dodds, said Mr Sunak‘s nominations were “either the arrogant act of an entitled man who’s stopped caring what the public thinks, or the demob-happy self-indulgence of someone who doesn’t expect to be prime minister much longer”.
Asked by Sky News if Labour would rule out giving donors honours if they were in government, Ms Dodds said giving money should not be an “automatic pass”.
Following the announcement, Mr Mansour said: “This award is the greatest honour of my life. I am thrilled and hugely grateful.
“This award would have meant so much to my father and mother. I wish they could have lived to see this day. This honour is for them, for the values they taught my siblings and I and for everything they did for us.”
Downing Street sources highlighted Mr Mansour’s work supporting charities – including financially backing a memorial to those who died due to COVID.
Speaking to Sky News, Conservative peer and polling expert Lord Robert Haywood said the public would be “unhappy” with the move.
While some non-political figures – like director Christopher Nolan – were also knighted, it’s the political acts that will draw attention.
Mohamed Mansour, who has been knighted by Rishi Sunak. Pic: Reuters
Lord Haywood said: “I think people don’t like it, there’s no question about that.
“The problem is that you’ve got people who are genuine philanthropists who also give money to a political party, and that’s where the line isn’t differentiated.”
He added that he was “really surprised” by the timing of the list – but it probably doesn’t say anything about the timing of a general election.
Normally, honours are granted at New Year’s on the monarch’s birthday, or after the resignation of a prime minister, although this is a convention not a rule.
The timing of the announcement, while parliament is in recess, has also raised eyebrows – although sources suggested the timing was linked to the need to make appointments to the Privy Council, including the new Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething.
Tory MP Philip Davies was one of the Conservative MPs to be made knight. He is known for hosting a television show on GB News with his wife, fellow Conservative MP and minister Esther McVey.
Ex-sports minister Tracey Crouch will become a dame having run a review into reforming the UK football system, and farming minister Mark Spencer will also become a sir.
Treasury Select Committee chair Harriett Baldwin – a Conservative MP – will also become a dame.
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Away from politics, Mr Nolan and wife and producer Emma Thomas have been handed honours following the release of award-winning biopic Oppenheimer.
Dr Demis Hassabis, who co-founded Google’s DeepMind AI business, was also made a knight.
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Politics
Natalie Elphicke apologises for supporting sex offender ex-husband after concerns from Labour MPs
The MP who defected from the Tories to Labour yesterday has apologised for comments she made supporting her ex-husband after he was convicted of sexual assault.
After former Tory MP Charlie Elphicke was jailed for two years in 2020 for assaulting two women, Natalie Elphicke told the Sun the fact he was “attractive” and “attracted to women” had made him an “easy target for dirty politics and false allegations”.
She called the trial unfair and said the allegations were “complete nonsense” and called her ex-husband “charming, wealthy, charismatic and successful”.
Several Labour MPs said they were not comfortable having an MP in their party who has defended a sex offender.
Jess Phillips, former shadow domestic violence minister, said Mrs Elphicke should “account for her actions”.
Just over 24 hours after defecting, Mrs Elphicke released a statement apologising for her comments.
She said: “My decision to join the Labour Party is not one I have taken lightly but one I made because I am convinced that this country needs a new government led by Keir Starmer to fix the problems we see from housing to small boats.
“I always knew that this decision would put a spotlight on the prosecution of my ex-husband and I want to address some of the commentary around this head on.
“The period of 2017-2020 was an incredibly stressful and difficult one for me as I learned more about the person I thought I knew. I know it was far harder for the women who had to relive their experiences and give evidence against him.
Read more: Natalie Elphicke defends MP husband after conviction
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Defecting Tory MP crosses floor to Labour
“I have previously, and do, condemn his behaviour towards other women and towards me. It was right that he was prosecuted and I’m sorry for the comments that I made about his victims.
“It is vital that women can have confidence in the criminal justice system and our rates of prosecution and conviction are far too low as a country.
“Keir Starmer’s mission to halve male violence against women and girls is critical and I wanted to take the opportunity to express my explicit support for Labour colleagues working to realise it.”
Mrs Elphicke ended her marriage to Mr Elphicke moments after he was convicted but supported his unsuccessful appeal, which is when she made the “attractive” comments.
She had supported him until he was convicted and was seen entering the court with him most days of his trial.
After he stepped down as an MP she stood in his Dover seat and won with a large majority.
She will not be standing again in the next election.
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