" Cameron honours list sparks fury "

Opposition MPs have called for a complete overhaul of the honours system after a newspaper published what it said were leaked details of David Cameron's resignation honours list.

The Sunday Times said the ex-PM had chosen to reward Remain campaigners and No 10 staff and donors, including his wife Samantha's special adviser.

A one-time parliamentary aide to Mr Cameron, Sir Desmond Swayne, has dismissed claims of "cronyism".

Downing Street has declined to comment.

An outgoing prime minister has the right to draw up a resignation honours list on leaving office although Sir John Major was the last to do so in 1997, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair having decided against.

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson denounced the reported list of 48 names submitted by Mr Cameron as an example of the "old boys' network".

Meanwhile, an unnamed senior Tory minister is quoted in the Daily Telegraph as saying Mr Cameron's list would provoke anger among backbench MPs and Leave-supporting Conservative members.

According to the Sunday Times, Will Straw, head of the official pro-Remain campaign, has been proposed for a CBE, and Tory and Remain campaign donors, Ian Taylor and Andrew Cook, are in line for knighthoods.

Mr Cameron's list is also said to have:

- Recommended knighthoods for four cabinet colleagues who backed Remain - Philip Hammond, Michael Fallon, Patrick McLoughlin, and David Lidington

- Recommended a damehood for Arabella Warburton, chief of staff to former Prime Minister Sir John Major, who campaigned for Remain

- Made 24 recommendations for Downing Street staff, including a knighthood for former director of communications Craig Oliver, an OBE for Isabel Spearman, who was employed as a special adviser to Mr Cameron's wife, Samantha, but is widely described in newspaper reports as her stylist

- Requested that former Chancellor George Osborne, who was dismissed by Theresa May when she became prime minister, be made a Companion of Honour

- Proposed an OBE for Mr Osborne's special adviser, Thea Rogers, a former BBC producer.

BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said there was little doubt the current regime at Downing Street were uncomfortable with the extent of the proposed list, but they believe it is for the Cabinet Office and honours committee to pronounce on its propriety.

Requests for political honours are considered by a committee chaired by the Conservative peer and former MP Lord Spicer.

The majority of its members - which currently include former head of the civil service Lord Butler and ex-Speaker of the House of Lords Baroness Hayman - are independent.

The names then get sent back to the prime minister who will make any recommendations she sees fit before the Queen formally approves it.

Since the Sunday Times published what it said was the leaked information on who might feature on the list, Mr Cameron's opponents inside and outside the Conservative Party have been sharpening their knives, our correspondent added.

Tom Watson said: "That Mr Cameron proposes to reward his friends network on such a huge scale will not only bring the honours system into disrepute, it will undermine the reputation of Theresa May.

"It's cronyism, pure and simple and proof the Tories will always put their own interests before those of the country."

Labour leadership challenger Owen Smith said he was disappointed Mr Cameron "should use the system to slap his friends on the back", adding that it justified calls to overhaul the system.

Outgoing UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the list amounted to "rewards for failure" while a supporter of the Leave campaign, Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen, also suggested it smacked of cronyism.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour, Labour's Gisela Stewart - chairwoman of the Vote Leave campaign - said Mr Cameron was "not only rewarding his chums - he is rewarding his chums for having failed".

However, Sir Desmond, who was knighted for political service in this year's New Year Honours list, told the programme the list was representative of Mr Cameron's six years as prime minister.

The New Forest West MP said: "The reason we have a resignation honours list is because over a period of government, particularly difficult government in a coalition, a prime minister has to cajole and get the support of a number people and he builds up a debt of honour.

"I think that frankly an honours list is a relatively light way of paying it off. I think we get far too excited about these things.

"The reality is with any honours list there are names that will warm our hearts and names that will send us into an apoplectic rage."

He said the list contained people who "helped in particular way and deserve a little bit more of a thank you than their salary".

In 1997, Sir John Major used his list to reward a number of former Downing Street staff and long-serving Conservative MPs who lost their seats at that year's general election.

Isn't there another forum on the index for politics?

Did his cleaner get an award as well?

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=175540

Isn't there another forum on the index for politics?

No, it was taken down after a trial period

Isn't there another forum on the index for politics?

Not anymore!

The honors system is a joke, they used to award Knighthoods for bravery on the battlefield, who the fekk would follow Cliff Richards or Elton John into battle.

The honors system is a joke, they used to award Knighthoods for bravery on the battlefield, who the fekk would follow Cliff Richards or Elton John into battle.

If cliff started singing the opposition troops might surrender

Isn't there another forum on the index for politics?

Not anymore!

Great, back to a football and politics forum then!