Botham and PM’s brother to join Household of Lords

Previous England cricket captain Sir Ian Botham is to sign up for the Property of Lords, the governing administration has verified.

The 64-year-previous, a sturdy supporter of Brexit, is amongst 36 new peers, who also consist of former Chancellors Ken Clarke and Philip Hammond.

Jo Johnson, the primary minister’s Remain-supporting youthful brother, who quit as a minister past calendar year in protest at federal government policy, will join them.

Ex-Labour MPs Frank Industry, Kate Hoey and Gisela Stuart turn out to be peers way too.

And Philip May perhaps, partner of former Primary Minister Theresa May well, gets a knighthood for “political service”.

Sir Ian, who played 102 Exam matches for England in between 1977 and 1992, is an advocate of industry athletics and a distinguished Brexit supporter who was knighted in 2007, in recognition of his solutions to charity and cricket.

His most famed second on the discipline arrived in 1981 when he encouraged a sensational defeat of Australia. Following retirement, he became a commentator and started his possess wine label.

He will sit as a crossbench – impartial – peer.

Jo Johnson, who stood down as an MP at December’s typical election, resigned from the authorities last September, declaring he was “torn in between household loyalty and the national fascination”.

Mr Clarke and Mr Hammond were being amongst 21 Conservative MPs who lost the get together whip previous autumn when they rebelled in opposition to Mr Johnson in a bid to avert a no-deal Brexit.

Ruth Davidson – who quit as Scottish Tory chief very last August after 8 decades in the position, stating the notion of investing extensive intervals away from her younger son stuffed her with “dread” – also gets a peer.

‘Massive U-turn’

The Speaker of the Residence of Lords, Lord Fowler, criticised the conclusion to award 36 peerages, calling the list “a shed chance to decrease numbers”.

He mentioned: “The outcome will be that the Home will shortly be practically 830 potent – nearly 200 better than the Dwelling of Commons. That is a substantial plan U-change.”

Evgeny Lebedev, owner of the Independent and the London Evening Conventional, gets to be a peer, as does Charles Moore, former Everyday Telegraph editor and biographer of ex-Key Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Other politicians who will enter the Dwelling of Lords involve former Conservative Get together chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin, former Tory society minister Ed Vaizey and Nigel Dodds, earlier deputy chief of the Democratic Unionist Party.

Of the Labour MPs honoured, Ms Hoey and Ms Stuart were being well known professional-Brexit campaigners through the 2016 EU referendum.

Lord Newby, Liberal Democrat chief in the Home of Lords, claimed: “By providing a big selection of his cronies peerages, [Mr Johnson] has revealed that the Tories have abandoned any pretence of lowering the dimensions of the bloated Property of Lords.”

For the SNP, MP Pete Wishart accused the key minister of “handing out jobs for lifestyle in the unelected Property of Lords to close friends and those who have accomplished him favours”.

“The key minister’s strategy of levelling up consists of gifting his cronies, harmful coverage facilitators, and relatives associates with careers as legislators for life – with no democratic mandate or accountability to people today across the British isles.

“It is really the worst form of cronyism that only highlights the rotten Westminster program that is detached from truth.”