Former Home Secretary Priti Patel has received a Damehood as Boris Johnson bestowed a series of prestigious honours upon his political aides and allies to mark his resignation as prime minister last year. Kulveer Ranger, who served as the director of transport during Johnson's tenure as Mayor of London, has been elevated to the House of Lords, alongside Shaun Bailey, who contested the 2021 London mayoral race but lost to the Labour candidate, Sadiq Khan.
Priti Patel praised Boris Johnson, stating, "He led the world in supporting Ukraine, accomplished Brexit, and became our most electorally successful prime minister since Margaret Thatcher. Boris is a political titan whose legacy will endure the test of time." Johnson had supported Patel during an internal inquiry into allegations of her bullying of civil servants while she served as Home Secretary.
Expressing gratitude on Twitter, Kulveer Ranger stated, "I would like to express my special thanks to the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson for this honour. I am proud of our achievements and look forward to continuing my passionate advocacy and improvement in the years ahead." In a personal statement published on social media, Kulveer Ranger wrote, “It is with great pride I can confirm that I have been elevated to the House of Lords. This recognition is not just mine but I share with my family and friends, the Sikh community, and many industry colleagues and The Conservative Party friends - all of whom I’ve had the pleasure to be supported by and stand shoulder to shoulder with over the last twenty-five years. I would like to give special thanks to the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson for this honour. I am proud of what we achieved and I now look forward to continuing to champion and improve the things that I am passionate about in the years ahead.”
The release of Johnson's honours list faced significant delays following his resignation in 2022, which reignited criticism of the system that allows outgoing prime ministers to nominate individuals for lifetime seats in the House of Lords and other awards upon leaving office.
Notable among the recipients of knighthoods were Jacob Rees-Mogg and Simon Clarke, prominent Conservative politicians.
Martin Reynolds, a senior civil servant and former principal private secretary to Johnson, was honoured with the Order of the Bath for his public service. Reynolds had previously faced scrutiny when he organized a drinks event in the Downing Street garden during the lockdown measures in May 2020, leading to concerns about propriety.
Furthermore, Johnson granted a peerage to his former chief of staff, Dan Rosenfield, and bestowed the Commander of the Order of the British Empire honour upon Jack Doyle, his former director of communications. Both individuals played significant roles in Johnson's administration, including during the organization of events in Downing Street amid the lockdowns.
Angela Rayner, the deputy leader of the Labour Party, condemned Johnson's honours list as a "sickening insult," while an anonymous Conservative member of parliament described it as "deeply embarrassing," highlighting Johnson's apparent lack of remorse.
Rumours circulating earlier suggested that Johnson's father, Stanley Johnson, would be knighted, which sparked public outrage and accusations of cronyism. However, Stanley Johnson's name was conspicuously absent from the list.
Johnson also approved honours for Conservative party politicians who have recently been involved in controversies. Ben Houchen, the Mayor of Tees Valley, received a peerage despite facing an investigation into allegations of mismanagement at a redevelopment project, which he denies. Conor Burns, who was previously dismissed from the government due to a misconduct claim but was later cleared by an internal party investigation, was knighted.
The highest honour was bestowed upon Bill Cash, who will become a Companion of Honour in recognition of his significant contributions to the arts, science, medicine, and government over a prolonged period.
Notably absent from the list, despite previous speculation, were Johnson's former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and his UN Climate Change Conference Chairman Alok Sharma. Their inclusion in the House of Lords would have necessitated challenging by-elections, as they would have been required to resign as Members of Parliament in the House.
