LONDON — Boris Johnson has reportedly put his own dad forward for a knighthood as part of the former prime minister’s resignation honors list.
According to the Times, Johnson — forced from No. 10 Downing Street last September — has included Stanley Johnson in a list of around 100 people nominated for honors.
Resignation honors allow an outgoing prime minister to draw up a list of people they believe should gain knighthoods, damehoods, seats in the U.K.’s unelected House of Lords and other British titles.
Although prime ministers are not under any obligation to confer honors, in practice the system is often used to reward Downing Street staff, former aides and political allies of the outgoing leader.
A knighthood for Johnson’s father — an author and former member of the European Parliament — may prove controversial. The elder Johnson has been accused of inappropriate touching by Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, and by journalist Ailbhe Rea, now host of POLITICO’s Westminster Insider podcast. Nominations for knighthoods and other honors are subject to “probity and propriety checks” by the U.K.’s Cabinet Office.
Johnson faced a previous backlash in 2020 when he elevated his brother — ex-minister Jo Johnson — to the Lords.
A spokesperson for the former Conservative leader told the Times: “We don’t comment on honors.”
