Did Rishi Sunak block peerages for Boris Johnson’s allies?

Could Downing Street have blocked the peerages indirectly? asks Jon Stone

Boris Johnson with Nadine Dorries, a close ally (PA)

Two Boris Johnson allies quit the House of Commons this weekend: Nadine Dorries walking out on Friday and Nigel Adams on Saturday. Both were reportedly expecting peerages in Mr Johnson’s resignation honours but did not get them.

It was reported in advance that Rishi Sunak had rejected the gongs. He supposedly did not want any sitting MPs being elevated to the House of Lords.

The claimed reason for this was that MPs who move to the Lords must trigger a by-election to fill their vacant seat.