Johnson faces legal challenge over peerage
BORIS Johnson is facing legal action over his award of a peerage to a wealthy Tory backer against the advice of the official House of Lords watchdog.
Electoral Commission records show Peter Cruddas, a former Conservative Party treasurer, gave the Tories a further £500,000 just three days after taking up his seat in the upper chamber last February.
The City financier – who has given the party more than £3 million since 2010 – has strongly denied there was any link between the donation and his receipt of a life peerage. However, the Good Law Project – which has brought a series of judicial review cases against the Government over the award of contracts during the pandemic – has said it intends to challenge Mr Cruddas’ appointment in the courts.
The legal campaign group’s director Jo Maugham said it was unprecedented for the Prime Minister to press ahead with the nomination after objections were raised by the independent House of Lords Appointments Commission.