Liz Truss 'nominates four close supporters for peerages' as part of resignation honours from 49-day stint as PM

25 March 2023, 09:29

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Liz Truss has requested peerages for some of her closest supporters from her 49-day stint inside Downing Street.

Ms Truss, whose time in Number 10 was plagued by Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-budget, is believed to have submitted a full list of peerages, despite her short time in charge.

They reportedly include:

• Mark Littlewood, director general of the Institute of Economic Affairs
• Matthew Elliot- founder of Vote Leave
• Ruth Porter - Truss's ex-deputy chief of staff
• Jon Moynihan - Conservative donor

A spokesperson for Ms Truss declined to comment.

Opposition MPs have slammed Ms Truss' reported honours list, with the Liberal Democrats said the ex-PM was "handing our gongs to her Conservative allies" after "trashing economy"

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A spokesperson said: "Handing out gongs to her Conservative allies is a truly remarkable way to reward the shortest tenure as prime minister in British political history.

"Truss and her Conservative colleagues trashed our economy and left millions in misery. Those selected for honours are the very people who helped plunge the country into chaos and crisis.

"Rishi Sunak must block these honours immediately as allowing Truss to dish out positions of influence shows a stunning lack of humility."

Meanwhile, deputy leader of the Labour Party, Angela Rayner, said Ms Truss' honours list was a "list of shame" from her stint as PM, where she took a "wrecking ball to the economy".

No 10 will receive Ms Truss proposals as they continue to scour through Boris Johnson's own honours list, following his resignation in July last year.

Mr Johnson's list, which is believed to be longer than Theresa May and David Cameron's combined, includes a number of close allies and even a family member.

Staunch Johnson loyalist and former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries is believed to be on Mr Johnson's list, as is his father Stanley Johnson.