Poll result: Should Boris Johnson have resignation honours list? – YOU VOTED

Dowden asked about what Boris Johnson should do next

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Outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been criticised for his plans to ennoble a large number of peers as part of his resignation. Campaigners have called for “unchecked political patronages” to end as many oppose the appointment of new peers.

Darren Hughes, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, told The Guardian earlier this month that most people were against “Prime Ministers stuffing the Lords with friends and donors as they head for the exit door”. 

He said: “Each new peer created gets a lifelong right to sit in parliament, which means potentially decades of influence over our laws as well as expense to the public. How they are chosen matters.

“At over 800 members the Lords is already bursting at the seams, and with more peerages planned it is clear we cannot simply rely on the restraint of individual prime ministers to slim down our bloated second chamber. 

“This is why we need to urgently reform the system so there are meaningful checks and balances governing who is appointed to the Lords. 

“Ultimately, it shouldn’t be at the whim of the prime minister to decide who makes and scrutinises our laws. It’s time to end this system of unchecked political patronage and ensure all our lawmakers are elected by the people they serve.”

In a poll that ran from 11am on Wednesday, August 3, to 8am on Tuesday, August 9, Express.co.uk asked readers: “Should Boris Johnson be allowed a resignation honours list?”

In total, 1,401 people responded with the most popular response, gaining 54 percent (759 people) of votes being “no”, Mr Johnson should not be allowed a resignation honours list.

A further 45 percent (634 people) said “yes” he should, while just one percent (eight people) said they did not know.

Dozens of comments were left below the accompanying article as readers shared their thoughts on Mr Johnson having a resignation honours list.

Many readers were against Mr Johnson adding more peers to the House of Lords with many calling for the chamber to be reformed.

Username Ricky1954 said: “It is time for the unelected House of Lords to be totally reformed.

“I have nothing against Boris but we do not need another 80+ of these unelected interferers given the power to make decisions that always disrupts the UK law process.”

Username Naylor1954 said: “A PM who has broken the law is not a fit person to bestow honours on people.”

Another, username thefutureisbleak said: “The house of lords should be abolished, and save the taxpayer millions.”

And username TVOReason wrote: “These honours lists are a farce, it’s about time the system was abolished.”

Mr Johnson has already made 86 appointments to the House of Lords during his three years as Prime Minister.

This is equivalent to 10 percent of its current size according to analysis by the Institute for Government.

It is conventional for Prime Ministers to put forward a resignation honours list at the end of their time in office, and so some readers argue Mr Johnson should be given one regardless of his actions while in office.

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Username Patriot Girl said: “Every PM has awarded resignation honours. There is absolutely no reason why Boris should be denied that right.”

Meanwhile, others suggested any list was restricted to help limit the number of peers.

Username JohnBethell said: “Like all other outgoing PMs he should have an honours list, but it’s time that these lists were confined.”

And username MrsMitchell said: “Johnson and future PMs should be legally limited to five only.”

A Government spokesman said: “Given retirements and departures, new members of the Lords continue to be needed.  

“It is entirely proper for a Prime Minister and opposition parties to put forward names for a political peerage list.”

Recent polling from Opinium for The Guardian found 54 percent of people are against Mr Johnson drawing up a resignation honours list and just 13 percent backed the move, while 34 percent expressed no view. 

Among 2019 Tory supporters, some 41 percent were against the plan and 21 percent were in favour.

The Lord Speaker warned in a letter to Tory leadership hopefuls Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak last month that Mr Johnson’s plans to appoint more peers to the House of Lords risks undermining “public confidence in our parliamentary system”.

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