Senior Lords’ anger at Boris Johnson plan to hand out dozens of peerages

Former Speaker warns of ‘trend to trash constitutional norms’

The House of Lords (PA Wire)

Boris Johnson’s plan to hand out large numbers of peerages before stepping down as prime minister has been denounced by a former Speaker of the House of Lords as “part of a trend to trash constitutional norms”.

Baroness Hayman said there was anger across the upper house at the prospect of dozens of the PM’s friends and allies being made lords.

And another ex-Lord Speaker, Lord Fowler – formerly a Conservative cabinet minister – said the appointment of Tory donors was bringing the system into “some kind of contempt” and undermining public support for the unelected chamber.