Bremainers, Cameron aides and Shami Chakrabarti get honours
Former chancellor George Osborne topped the list of David Cameron’s resignation honours today, while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn raised eyebrows with his nomination of Labour anti-Semitism report author Shami Chakrabarti.
Cameron’s resignation honours rewarded “Bremainers” and many of his inner circle. Osborne has been made a Companion of Honour for political and public service, while former secretary of defence Michael Fallon has been made a Knights Commander and former transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has been given a knighthood.
Despite losing the referendum, the Stronger In executive director Will Straw has been granted a CBE.
Corbyn faced mounting criticism in the wake of his appointment of Chakrabati, the former director of human rights group Liberty, last night.
Read more: In numbers: How does Cameron's honours list compare to previous PMs'?
“With a single appointment to the House of Lords, Jeremy Corbyn has undermined any criticism of David Cameron’s resignation honours and destroyed any credibility in the so-called independent inquiry into anti-Semitism that Shami Chakrabarti led,” Labour MP for Ilford North Wes Streeting told City PM
“This appointment has a whiff of cronyism about it. Shami has been a member of the Labour Party for five minutes and has then found herself, months later, the single appointment to the House of Lords.
“Sadly, it’s also damaged Shami's own credibility who, otherwise, as a leading human rights campaigner would surely have earned a place as an independent cross-bencher in the future,” he added.
Chakrabarti joined the Labour Party in April and led the party’s anti-Semitism inquiry into actions among students at Oxford University.
Read more: Corbyn defends Labour's record on anti-Semitism
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said in a statement: “It is beyond disappointing that Shami Chakrabarti has been offered, and accepted a peerage from Labour following her so-called “independent” inquiry.”
City PM understands deputy Labour leader Tom Watson was not informed about the nomination.
On Cameron’s honours list, former director of communications Craig Oliver, MP Oliver Letwin and Andrew Cook were granted knighthoods. The former prime minister also singled out two of his drivers, Martha Gutierrez Velez and Sean Storey for MBE’s for public service.
Samantha Cameron’s special adviser Isabel Spearman, described by some as a “stylist”, was granted an OBE.