‘Cronyism’ jibe at PM after she awards knighthood to Brexiteer
May prompts outcry after giving honour to Leave supporter before vital vote on Brexit terms
THERESA MAY was accused of “cronyism” yesterday after she handed a knighthood to a Leave-supporting Conservative MP weeks before a key Commons vote on her Brexit deal.
Downing Street announced that John Hayes, the Tory MP for South Holland and The Deepings, is to be awarded a knighthood by the Queen, sparking an outcry from other Brexit-backing Conservatives in the Commons.
There was speculation last night that No10 will seek to announce more honours – or make pledges for further honours – to more MPS ahead of the MPS’ “meaningful vote” on Mrs May’s Brexit agreement in just over a fortnight.
Mrs May’s deal looks almost certain to be defeated if Labour fail to support it, with as many as 90 Conservative MPS saying they will oppose it.
Mr Hayes, pictured right, is a former Home Office and transport minister, first elected in 1997. Mr Hayes’ constituency, one of the safest Conservative seats in the country, delivered the nation’s second highest Leave vote at the 2016 EU referendum.
Political knighthoods are normally vetted by a special committee and awarded twice a year at the Queen’s Birthday honours in June and New Year’s honours in December.
However, knighthoods for MPS were conferred in October last year and in May 2015.
Brexit-supporting Tory MPS were appalled that Mr Hayes,
60, should accept a knighthood. One said: “It is particularly striking that someone who has portrayed himself as a Brexiteer is given a knighthood a matter of hours before the Prime Minister goes to Brussels to seal the deal.”
Another MP said: “I hope he enjoys it – it has caused a lot of mirth on our Whatsapp group.”
Chris Green, Leave-supporting
Tory MP, added:
“They [No 10] are feeling the heat. They a will use whatever patronage is available to them.”
Jo Stevens, the Labour MP added: “This stinks of cronyism. It seems that in order to pass its unpopular Brexit deal, the Government is willing to hand out knighthoods left, right and centre.” Last night, Mr Hayes insisted that his decision to accept the knighthood would not affect whether he will rebel against the Government.
He told The Daily Telegraph: “This has no bearing on how I will vote. I still need a lot of persuading to vote for this. I have questions still to be answered about the deal. The Prime Minister is aware of that.”
No 10 did not officially give a reason for the honour being awarded now. However a source said it was for either political or public service. Another source said: “He has been a minister and served in a number of departments, and he has been a long-standing and dedicated MP.”
No 10 also announced that Chris Pincher, the Government’s deputy chief whip, and Mark Tami, Labour’s deputy chief whip, are joining the Privy Council so they can be briefed on state secrets.
Separately, the Electoral Commission opened itself up to more criticism over bias in favour of the Remain campaign by appointing Lord Gilbert of Panteg as a commissioner.
Lord Gilbert, a former Conservative party vice chairman, worked as an adviser to the Remain campaign ahead of the 2016 EU referendum.
Earlier this year, it emerged that nearly half of the commission’s board made public statements criticising the pro-brexit campaign or backing calls for the result to be overturned, despite strict impartiality rules.
An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph found that four of the Electoral Commission’s 10 commissioners, including the chairman, had made pronouncements on Brexit since the referendum result – all of them backing Remain.
Lord Gilbert joins the commission with Joan Walley, the Labour MP, and Alastair Ross, a former Democratic Unionist Party member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.