PARIS — The U.K. prime minister sought to distance himself from Boris Johnson’s reported attempt to nominate his own father for a knighthood, saying his dad would only get a “card” for Fathers’ Day.
Johnson has reportedly included his father Stanley in the list of honors he can grant as an outgoing prime minister. The Times said the list includes as many as 100 nominations.
Speaking to reporters on his way to a U.K.-France summit in Paris, Rishi Sunak declined to comment on what he described as “speculation” when asked if honors should go to family members and if he as prime minister would ever nominate a family member for one of these awards, which include knighthoods, damehoods, and places in the U.K.’s unelected House of Lords.
“For me a big success is remembering to get my dad a card on Fathers’ Day, so that is probably about my limit of it,” he replied.
Asked if that should be interpreted as a “no,” Sunak said: “Yes. As I said, if I am doing a card, I’m doing well. There is always comment and speculation about honors lists beforehand. I’m not going to comment on speculation. I don’t see these things until I see them so it is hard for me to say any more than that.”
And he insisted: “My dad’s going to get a card on Fathers’ Day and that is about that.”
