Liz Truss Criticized For Trying to Give Honours To Rich Businessmen Who Gave Her Campaign Cash

Liz Truss, the Prime Minister who never truly was, has been slammed for cronyism and adding 12 of her allies and big donors to the honours list.

Truss, who was Tory leader and the UK's PM for only 48 days and whose poorly contemplated budget sent markets into meltdown.

She has attempted to nominate 12 people for peerages in the House of Lords, it was revealed, many of which are individuals who supported her leadership bid.

Former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, a long-term friend and former ally of Truss, does not make the list.

Reacting to the news, one Whitehall insider accused Ms Truss of "taking the p***".

They told the press on Sunday "We all know that former Prime Ministers are entitled to resignation honours lists – and that is fair enough. But Liz is just doling out gongs to her mates who helped to mastermind her leadership bid, rather than the people who've spent a lifetime running her constituency office or something."

Earlier this year, Truss nominated four close allies to become peers in the House of Lords. In line for peerages are Brexit campaigner Matthew Elliott, Tory donor Jon Moynihan, aide Ruth Porter and think-tank chief Mark Littlewood.

Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats called on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to block the move.

Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner called it a "list of shame", saying the former PM and her supporters "took a wrecking ball to the economy in a disastrous six-week premiership that has left millions facing mortgage misery".

Any outgoing prime minister is able to recommend people for honours after they’ve resigned, although not all have chosen to.