There’s very much an end of days feel in SW1 right now. With parliament in recess and a Truss coronation imminent, many of Boris Johnson’s ancien régime are making the most of their final week in office, attending endless leaving drinks and working out which consultancy they want to jump to next. But in the watering holes of Westminster the current topic of discussion among apparatchiks and bag-carriers is which of their number will be rewarded in Johnson’s forthcoming resignation honours list?
Such expectations though are tinged somewhat by the knowledge of the controversy that such a list will inevitably provoke when made public. ‘It’s going to make the Lavender list look like a model of good government’ said one insider to Mr S. That is of course if such a list is ever published, with the House of Lords Appointments Commission yet to approve Johnson’s recommendations. Below is Steerpike’s guide to some of the names doing the rounds, along with one or two outsiders long-overlooked for such recognition…
The politicians
Nigel Adams MP – longtime loyalist, standing down at the next election. Tipped for the Lords.
Conor Burns MP – another long-suffering supporter who was passed over for a cabinet post. Arise, Sir Conor?
Nadine Dorries MP – was with Boris to the end in the Führerbunker. If Truss keeps her on in cabinet, could serve from the Lords as Nicky Morgan did.
Ben Elliot – party chairman who gives Boris a run in the scandals stakes. Worth a gong, surely?
Sir Nicholas Soames – former MP who was passed over for a peerage during the Brexit wars.
The aides
Lee Cain – Boris told him they would one day reunite: could a gong be some consolation?
Ross Kempsell – Boris’s tennis partner and master of the dark arts. MBE must be the least he deserves…
Simon Case – most Cabinet Secretaries get a knighthood, even those whose careers end prematurely.
Ben Gascoigne – the last survivor of the City Hall crew; peerages have been awarded for far less.
Andrew Gilligan – served from the first day of Boris’s government to the last. Longtime ally and cycling fantatic.
Guto Harri – Boris’s final director of comms was certainly the most memorable. Sir Guto, perhaps?
Declan Lyons – had to put out a fair few fires as the PM’s Political Secretary. His prospective father-in-law is already in the Lords, could he soon be joining him?
Cleo Watson – largely kept shtum since leaving No. 10, going on to work for Alok Sharma. Given her upcoming bonkbuster, she could get one for services to literature…
The rest
Lubov Chernukhin – controversial Russian donor who loves Boris so much that she spent tens of thousands to win a tennis match with him.
Rachel Johnson – veteran journalist and broadcaster, failed Change UK candidate.
Stanley Johnson – former MEP, cruelly denied further political advancement.
Carrie Johnson – Philip May got a knighthood; Denis Thatcher a baronetcy. But would such an eco-warrior enjoy wearing ermine?
Dominic Johnson – helped co-found Somerset Capital Management with Jacob Rees-Mogg, respected for his work at the Department for International Trade.
Lulu Lytle – If Cameron could honour his barber, then why not Johnson and his interior designer?
Selva Pankaj – chief executive of the Regent Group, which runs private colleges and recently hired Sir Gavin Williamson, the former Tory chief whip, as a £50,000-a-year adviser. That must be worth something…
David Ross – Carphone Warehouse co-founder, helped arrange a £15,000 holiday in Mustique for Boris and Carrie in 2019.
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