Keir Starmer has indicated that he may create a resignation honours list when he leaves Downing Street in just over 10 days. This marks a shift from his previous commitment made three years ago, where he vowed not to award honours upon stepping down. Starmer's comments came during a press conference at the Nato summit in Ankara.
Starmer's Previous Stance on Honours
In 2023, while serving as the opposition leader, Starmer openly criticized Rishi Sunak for permitting Boris Johnson to distribute awards to his allies, including knighthoods. He described the situation as "difficult to justify" given the circumstances of Johnson’s departure. At that time, Starmer stated, "No. There are other opportunities … Tony Blair didn’t have a resignation list. It’s very hard to justify … there are other avenues for that and I think it’s easier to be clear about this and simply say, no, I wouldn’t do it."
However, when questioned about his commitment to this stance at the recent summit, he responded, "We’ll look at that in the usual course of things," suggesting a potential reevaluation of his earlier position.
Traditional Practices of Resignation Honours
It is customary for outgoing prime ministers to nominate individuals for honours after leaving office, but these nominations require approval from their successor and the House of Lords appointments commission. This tradition has seen various prime ministers, including Liz Truss, who was granted a resignation honours list by Sunak despite her brief tenure of only 49 days. Truss's list followed significant turmoil in the financial markets.
- Boris Johnson's resignation honours list included over 40 names.
- Starmer's potential honours list could follow similar traditions.
- Approval from the successor is mandatory for any nominations.
Labour Leadership Contest and Future Prospects
As Starmer prepares for his departure, Andy Burnham is poised to succeed him with substantial backing. Burnham has garnered 322 nominations, representing 80% of the parliamentary party, nearly securing his position in No 10. Starmer expressed confidence in Burnham, stating, "Yes, I do. I have known him a long time, I’ve worked with him when I first came to parliament, in his team directly."
The nominations process for Labour's leadership is currently underway, with prominent MPs, including Rachel Reeves and David Lammy, supporting Burnham. The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and the housing secretary, Steve Reed, have yet to endorse him but still have time to do so.
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