Cameron paying a debt of honour, says aide as row grows over gongs for cronies

a coalition, a Prime Minister has to cajole and get the support of a number of people and he builds up a debt of honour. Frankly, an honours list is a relatively light way of paying it off.”

Sir Desmond, a former overseas aid minister who was himself knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours lists in June, argued that people get “far too excited” about honours lists.

He added: “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.”

But opposition MPs called for a complete overhaul of the system after it was claimed Mr Cameron was seeking to reward personal aides, politic al donors and senior figures on the losing Remain campaign in June’s Brexit referendum.

The L abour deput y leader, Tom Watson, said Mr Cameron’s apparent bid to honour allies and aides presented the worst of the “old boy’s network”. Labour leadership challenger Owen Smith accused Mr Cameron of “using the system to slap his friends on the back”.

Downing Street was referring queries to t he Cabinet Off i c e , a sign t hat Theresa May does not wish to get caught up in her predecessor’s cronyism row. It was sparked by Mr Cameron recommending gongs for 48 people in his resignation list, including knighthoods for pro -EU ministers Philip Hammond, Michael Fallon, Patrick McLoughlin and David Liding ton, according to the Sunday Times.

He also re p o r t e d ly re qu e s t e d a C ompanion of Honour award for G eorge Osborne, dismissed as chancellor by Mrs May, and a CBE for Will Straw, head of the failed official pro-Remain campaign. More than 20 Downing Street staff were also reportedly recommended for awards.

OBEs are said to be urged for Isabel Spearman, who helped Samantha Cameron with her diary and outfits for various e n g a g e me n t s , and Thea Rogers, credited with changing Mr Osborne’s image.

It was also claimed Mr Cameron recommended knighthoods for major Tory donors Ian Taylor and Andrew Cook, as well as his former spin chief Craig Oliver.

Outgoing Ukip leader Nigel Farage tweeted: “David Cameron’s resignation honours list shows that it’s a good job he’s gone. Too many rewards f or failure.”

A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: “We d o n ’ t comment on leaked documents.”