Cameron faces allegations of cronyism after honours list leak

Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron has sparked a row over his resignation honours list after the Sunday Times newspaper published what it claimed to be details of the recipients, including his wife Samantha's adviser.

The Sunday Times said the ex-PM had chosen to reward members of the official campaign to remain in the European Union. The UK voted to leave in June's referendum.

Opposition MPs called for an overhaul of the system, but one former parliamentary aide to Cameron waved away concerns by saying the bestowing of honours was a “relatively light way” of paying off political debts.

Others among the 48 recipients include staff at Downing Street, the prime minister's official residence, Cameron allies and Tory donors, the paper added.

Top of the donors are Ian Taylor, a businessman who has handed the Tories more than £1.6m and contributed at least £350,000 to the Remain campaign, and Andrew Cook, who has donated more than £1m to the Conservatives and another £300,000 to Remain.

Four cabinet members who also backed the campaign — Philip Hammond, Michael Fallon, David Lidington and Patrick McLoughlin — are among nine proposed knighthoods.

An outgoing prime minister has the right to draw up a resignation honours list on leaving office although the last to do it was Sir John Major in 1997. Cameron left office on July 13.

Cameron is also poised to create two dames: former cabinet minister Caroline Spelman; and Arabella Warburton, chief of staff to former prime minister Major, who campaigned strongly for Remain.

Will Straw, the director of the Remain campaign, who was a Labour candidate and is the son of party grandee and former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, has been nominated for a CBE.

George Osborne, the former chancellor and Cameron’s closest political friend, is in line to become a companion of honour. Osborne’s closest aide, Thea Rogers, is set to receive an OBE.

Some 24 members of Cameron’s Downing Street staff are recognised for their efforts. They include his wife Samantha’s stylist Isabel Spearman, officially listed as an “adviser”, who has also been nominated for an OBE.

Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson attempted to drag new Prime Minister Theresa May into the row by suggesting she would not want her reputation undermined by approving rewards for Cameron's 'old boys network'.

“It’s cronyism, pure and simple and proof the Tories will always put their own interests before those of the country,” he said.

However, Sir Desmond Swayne, himself knighted by Cameron this year, dismissed the criticism.

“Over a period of government, particularly a difficult government in a coalition, a prime minister has to cajole and get the support of a number of people and he builds up a debt of honour and I think that frankly, an honours list is a relatively light way of paying it off,” Swayne told BBC radio.

“I think we get far too excited about these things. The reality is with any honours list there are names that will warm our hearts and names that will send us into an apoplectic rage.”