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Boris Johnson was embroiled in another cronyism row last night after he overruled his advisers to hand a peerage to a controversial Tory donor.
The Prime Minister decided to ennoble City tycoon Peter Cruddas despite a recommendation from the House of Lords Appointments Commission that he should be turned down.
It advised against the honour because Mr Cruddas resigned as Conservative co-treasurer in 2012 after it was claimed he offered access to then PM David Cameron and his chancellor George Osborne in return for donations.
It is believed he has been turned down numerous times before. Mr Cruddas, 67, donated £50,000 to Mr Johnson s Tory leadership campaign last year and has given £3million to the Conservatives since 2007.
The list also sparked concerns about the size of the chamber at a time when it is trying to slim down.
Lord Fowler, the Lord Speaker, said: “This list will bring the total in the House of Lords to over 830 – almost 200 more than the House of Commons.”
Mr Johnson brushed aside objections from the Lords Appointments Commission to elevate Peter Cruddas – who quit as Tory Party co-treasurer in 2012 after cash-for-access allegations – to the upper house.
Boris Johnson defended his nomination in a letter to the watchdog (Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
The PM defended his nomination in a letter to the watchdog saying the most serious accusations levelled at the time “were found to be untrue and libellous”.
BBC News
By Justin Parkinson
image captionPeter Cruddas won a libel case against the Sunday Times in 2013
Boris Johnson has nominated businessman Peter Cruddas for a peerage, despite his rejection by the honours watchdog.
The Lords Appointments Commission did not support ennobling the businessman, who quit as Tory co-treasurer in 2012 following cash-for-access allegations.
Mr Cruddas later won a libel case against a newspaper over its claims.
Mr Johnson rejected the commission s recommendation, becoming the first PM to ignore its advice on a nomination since it was set up in 2000.
Labour accused Mr Johnson - who received £50,000 from Mr Cruddas for his campaign to become Conservative leader in 2019 - of cronyism .
City grandee Cruddas made Tory peer despite Lords gatekeepers objections
(Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
City grandee Peter Cruddas has been appointed as a Tory Peer after the Prime Minister stepped in to overrule the House of Lords Appointment Commission.
The appointment of Cruddas, a banker and philanthropist who has given millions to good causes over the years, was questioned by the Commission over newspaper allegations around ‘cash for access’ during Cruddas’ time as Tory party treasurer.
The PM wrote to the Commission’s chair, Lord Bew, saying “the most serious allegations levelled at the time were found to be untrue and libellous.”