Boris Johnson to reward people who backed Brexit with life peerages

Boris Johnson is to mark his first year in Downing Street by rewarding Brexit supporters with life peerages, it has been reported.

Former England cricketer Ian Botham is among 30 new peers to be announced later this month, according to the Times. The list is also said to include four ex-Labour MPs – including Frank Field and Gisela Stuart – who both supported Brexit in the 2016 referendum.

Botham publicly supported the Brexit campaign, appearing alongside Johnson before the referendum.

Rewards and peace offerings

There will be peerages also for MPs and former Labour members Ian Austin and John Woodcock. Both backed Remain but supported Johnson’s Brexit deal. They also urged Labour voters not to support Jeremy Corbyn, the paper said.

At the same time, it was reported that Johnson will seek to heal the divisions in the Conservative party with peerages for Ken Clarke, Philip Hammond and Ed Vaizey. All three had the Tory whip withdrawn after seeking to block his efforts to reach an agreement with Brussels.

There was no immediate comment from Downing Street.