Rishi Sunak has launched a broadside at Boris Johnson after the former prime minister announced his resignation from the House of Commons last week.
Mr Johnson was left furious after some of his political allies – Nadine Dorries, Alok Sharma and Nigel Adams – were not given the places in the House of Lords he nominated them for
The appointments were blocked by the House of Lords Appointments Commission (Holac), which confirmed it had taken eight people off Mr Johnson’s list.
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The former prime minister was reportedly furious after Mr Sunak refused to reinstate or his nominations consider nominating them later on, with Holac not wanting sitting MPs to be put in the Lords.
Speaking from London Tech Week, Mr Sunak said: “Look, when it comes to honours and Boris Johnson.
Boris Johnson asked me to do something I wasn’t prepared to do because I didn’t think it was right.
“That was to either overrule the Holac committee or to make promises with people.
“I wasn’t prepared to do that – as I said, I didn’t think it was right.
“And if people don’t like that, then tough.”
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Boris Johnson ‘asked me to do something I wasn’t prepared to do’ – Rishi Sunak
His answer was met with a smattering of applause from the crowd.
Mr Sunak’s comments were the first public statement he has made on the matter since Mr Johnson resigned.
As well as Mr Johnson, Ms Dorries and Mr Adams have announced their intention to resign as MPs imminently.
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The Johnson camp triggering three by-elections for a prime minister struggling in the polls has not been viewed kindly within Downing Street.
The government is insisting it followed the precedent of accepting Holac’s judgements when it comes to nominating people for peerages.
