Patel and Rees-Mogg should not be given honours, David Lammy says
The shadow foreign secretary said the two former senior ministers should not be rewarded due to their records in Government.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Former Cabinet ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Priti Patel should not be rewarded with honours, a senior Labour politician has said.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said comments made by Mr Rees-Mogg in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire make him unfit for a knighthood.
Mr Rees-Mogg is tipped for the title in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list alongside Ms Patel, who will receive a damehood.
Asked about Mr Johnson’s list, Mr Lammy told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “After Grenfell Tower, where I lost a friend, Jacob Rees-Mogg said that the residents of that tower lacked common sense.
“I don’t believe he is someone who should have been rewarded.
“Priti Patel was found to be bullying in her department. I don’t believe she should be rewarded.
“I don’t believe that if a Government sets rules for everybody else during a pandemic, it is right that those who encouraged parties in No 10 should be rewarded.”
Mr Lammy said Labour will preserve the honours system if it comes to power, though it will seek to reform the House of Lords.
He said: “We want to preserve the honours system because we do believe that in this country, and I am thinking of ordinary people in communities like mine that are rewarded for the work they are doing, for example with young people.
“But yes, it is our intention in the first term to address the issues of the democratic deficit in the House of Lords.”
There is a very long-tested protocol in place where former prime ministers put people up for the House of Lords – I think I am right in saying Gordon Brown put up about 50 people in his nominations – and the prime minister who comes in usually passes it on
Ms Patel and Mr Rees-Mogg are considered close allies of Mr Johnson and served in senior Government positions during his premiership.
During her tenure as Home Secretary, Ms Patel was accused of bullying her staff but Mr Johnson overruled an official conclusion that she broke the ministerial code, allowing her to stay in post.
Mr Rees-Mogg suggested in 2019 he would have ignored the “stay put” advice given to Grenfell Tower residents during the blaze, which claimed the lives of 72 people, two years earlier.
He later apologised for suggesting ignoring the advice of the fire service would have been “common sense”.
Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has not changed Mr Johnson’s resignation honours list “in any way”.
He said: “There is a very long-tested protocol in place where former prime ministers put people up for the House of Lords – I think I am right in saying Gordon Brown put up about 50 people in his nominations – and the prime minister who comes in usually passes it on.”
Former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown did not publish a resignation honours list, though a dissolution honours list issued on his advice was published.
It contained new peers of all parties, including new Conservative lords, as happens at every dissolution of Parliament.