Amid rising tension, Johnson accuses Sunak of 'talking rubbish'
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Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson have engaged in a verbal spat over the former Prime Minister's intention to bestow peerages on numerous close supporters.
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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former PM Boris Johnson (AP)
Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson have engaged in a verbal spat over the former Prime Minister's intention to bestow peerages on numerous close supporters.
Sunak accused Johnson of asking him to "overrule" the vetting advice on his House of Lords nominations, while Johnson accused the former of "talking rubbish".
Johnson's candidates were rejected by the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC).
It is unknown who the candidates were or why they were removed from Johnson's departure honors list.
Sunak's government published the list on Friday without the names of Johnson's supporters, including Conservative MPs Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams.
Johnson announced his resignation as an MP a few hours after his honors list was unveiled after he had been the subject of a parliamentary inquiry that focused on allegations of misleading the House of Commons after disregarding his own government's own regulations and taking part in "lockdown-breaking parties" at Downing Street during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more: Boris Jonson abruptly quits as MP, decries 'witch-hunt'
There are currently competing allegations concerning how and why the names would not have shown on the list. Adams and Dorries have both indicated that they would resign as MPs immediately, forcing by-elections to replace them.
On Monday, Johnson and Sunak engaged in a public battle about the nominees.
Sunak alleged previously at a tech conference in London that Johnson had asked him to do "something I wasn't prepared to do" on peerage nominations, adding that "I didn't think that was right. And if people don't like that, then tough."
Hours later Johnson stated it "was not necessary to overrule HOLAC - but simply to ask them to renew their vetting, which was a mere formality."
Downing Street did not respond any further but stated that the PM did not regret his comments.
Sunak's remarks are the first made public concerning the argument over peerages, and they indicate a heightened level of hostility between the two.
Their relationship has been strained since Sunak resigned as chancellor in Johnson's cabinet, triggering a wave of resignations that brought Johnson's reign to an end.
Johnson can nominate some for seats in the House of Lords and for other honors like knighthoods as departing PM. After a vetting process, current PMs can recommend some names not move forward before passing them to HOLAC.
A spokesperson for the vetting panel said on Sunday that it had rejected eight of Johnson's nominees. Downing Street insists Sunak did not alter the list of nominations but on Monday a close ally of Johnson alleged that Sunak "secretly" blocked peerages for "Nadine and others."
The source added that "he refused to ask for them to undergo basic checks that could have taken only a few weeks or even days."
"That is how he kept them off the list - without telling Boris Johnson."
Lo and behold! Here are the most notable Boris blunders in his eventful 3 years in office.#BorisJohnson #Partygate pic.twitter.com/In9DdnbY9w
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) April 19, 2022
