Rishi Sunak faces three nightmare by-elections after Boris Johnson's honours list trap
18 May 2023, 14:01 | Updated: 18 May 2023, 15:36
Rishi Sunak faces three by-elections in tough constituencies - after Boris Johnson used his resignation honours to poach MPs from the embattled Prime Minister.
Mr Sunak is set to lose three senior Tories who will be ennobled and elevated to the House of Lords: Nadine Dorries, Alok Sharma and Nigel Adams.
The Lords watchdog has said that the trio will have to step down from their seats to accept the peerages: meaning that all three will trigger by-elections just a fortnight after a bruising set of local elections in which the Conservatives lost over 1,000 councillors.
Former culture secretary Ms Dorries, Cop26 president Mr Sharma and staunch ally Mr Adams are all prepared to leave before the end of their elected terms.
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Labour have an 18-point lead over the Tories in the latest Westminster Voting Intention poll, published by YouGov, fuelling fears that Mr Sunak will be unable to turn around his party's fortunes.
The list is being seen as a trap for Mr Sunak set by acrimonious former Prime Minister Boris Johnson - after Rishi's resignation brought about the end of his premiership in disgrace.
Mr Johnson, who is rumoured to be eyeing up a return to front-line politics when it is expedient for him to do so, has rewarded staunch allies with peerages.
He also plans to ennoble Alister Jack, another staunch ally in his chaotic three-year stint in 10 Downing Street.
The row over peerages is likely to drag on, as ill-fated former Prime Minister Liz Truss is set to have the traditional privilege to nominate peers - despite a 50-day leadership which led to the British economy being thrown into turmoil.
Ms Truss 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
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