Theresa May 'won't intervene' in David Cameron's honours list

**The Boss** · 1st August, 2016, 01:02 PM

Image copyright PA Image caption Mr Cameron spent just over six years in Downing Street Theresa May will not intervene over her predecessor David Cameron's resignation honours list because it would "set a very bad precedent", No 10 has said.
It comes amid opposition MPs' calls for reform of the system after the ex-PM's alleged list was leaked by a newspaper.
The Sunday Times said Mr Cameron had chosen to reward Remain campaigners and No 10 staff and donors, including his wife Samantha's special adviser.
Downing Street said all the "proper processes" would be followed.
Meanwhile, a former aide to Mr Cameron dismissed "cronyism" claims and suggested much of the criticism was motivated by envy.
Downing Street had initially declined to comment, but a spokesperson said on Monday morning: "It is standard for an outgoing prime minister to submit a resignation list.
"The names on the list were at the formerly prime minister's discretion, and they will now go through all the proper processes and committees. It would set a very bad precedent for a new prime minister to interfere in the official processes."
'Slap on the back'

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 formally do so in 1997.
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.

Image copyright PA Image caption Honours requests are vetted by a series of committees 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.
'Cronyism'

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."
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.
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.
Image copyright PA Image caption Sir Desmond - seen here running with Mr Cameron - said concerns over the list were misplaced 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."
Sir Desmond later told Sky News there would be "robust scrutiny" of all those put forward for honours and envy at the awards was an "unpleasant phenomenon".
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.
Although neither Tony Blair nor Gordon Brown issued a resignation honours list when they left Downing Street, Mr Blair became embroiled during his premiership in a "cash for honours" row while his successor used a dissolution honours list in 2010 to ennoble a host of former ministers including John Prescott, John Reid and Des Browne.