Rishi Sunak's resignation honours list revealed as Michael Gove, Alister Jack receive peerages

Calls to scrap the House of Lords have been reignited, as the elevation of two former Tory Cabinet members to the House of Lords in Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours was described as “one last slap in the face to the people of Scotland”.

Former education and housing secretary Michael Gove was confirmed to have been given a seat in the House of Lords on Friday after being heavily tipped for a peerage.

And he was joined on the honours list by former Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, who was responsible for triggering the section 35 order to block Scotland gender reform legislation.

Mr Gove and Mr Jack hail from Aberdeen and Dumfries respectively.

Tory politician Michael Gove. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images | Getty Images

Mr Gove, who is now the editor of the Spectator magazine, has served in the cabinet of four prime ministers.

Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor in Mr Sunak’s cabinet, and ex-foreign secretary James Cleverly were awarded knighthoods. There were also knighthoods for former defence secretary Grant Shapps and ex-work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, as well as former England cricketer James Anderson.

Sir James, 42, retired from Test cricket in July having taken 704 wickets, the most by a fast bowler in Test history.

England and Wales Cricket Board chair Richard Thompson celebrated the honour, saying: “Jimmy’s career has been marked by extraordinary achievements, not least in winning the Ashes four times and becoming England’s all-time leading wicket-taker.

“His skill, determination and sportsmanship have inspired millions of cricketers and fans alike, in England and around the world. This is fitting recognition for a true world great who has given so much to the game on and off the field.”

But the SNP were quick to criticism the honours given to both Mr Gove and Mr Jack, with party deputy leader Pete Wishart stressing that people in Scotland were “still suffering the effects of 14 years of Tory rule”.

“The Labour Party are no better,” he said. “Sir Keir Starmer promised to scrap the Lords, but since winning power he has wasted no time signing up to the worst of Westminster ways, handing out a peerage to his former chief of staff Sue Gray and ushering in a host of Labour MPs who lost their seats at the election back into parliament via the unelected Lords.

“The unaccountable, undemocratic House of Lords and the crony ridden honours system which props it up is broken beyond repair and it is clear that it benefits the Labour Party and the Tories far too much for them to have any desire to change it.”

Darren Hughes, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said: “Trust in our politics has slumped to record lows in recent years. Yet today the public is again witnessing the spectacle of a former prime minster stuffing even more friends and allies into the already ludicrously bloated House of Lords – handing each one a job for life in Parliament.

“This business-as-usual ‘jobs for mates’ approach at Westminster will do nothing to arrest that alarming collapse in public trust.”

Three other Tories in former attorney general Victoria Prentis KC, former head of the number 10 policy unit Eleanor Shawcross and ex-conservative party chief executive Stephen Massey were also given peerages.

Matthew Vaughn, the filmmaker behind Layer Cake, Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, and the Kingsman films, was also awarded a knighthood for his services to the creative industries.

Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours in full

Peerages

Michael Gove

Former secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities

Mark Harper

Former secretary of state for transport

Simon Hart

Former chief whip of the House of Commons

Sir Alister Jack

Former secretary of state for Scotland

Stephen Massey

Former chief executive officer of the Conservative Party

Victoria Prentis KC

Former attorney general

Eleanor Shawcross (Wolfson)

Former head of the No 10 Policy Unit

Other honours

– Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG)

Andrew Mitchell MP

Former secretary of state for international development and deputy foreign secretary. For political and public service

– Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Theresa Villiers MP

Former Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet. For political and public service

– Knights Bachelor

James Anderson

England cricketer. For services to cricket

James Cleverly MP

Former home secretary and former foreign secretary. For political and public service

Jeremy Hunt MP

Former chancellor of the Exchequer, foreign secretary, health secretary and culture secretary. For political and public service

Grant Shapps MP

Former defence secretary, energy secretary, business secretary, home secretary, and transport secretary. For political and public service

Mel Stride MP

Former secretary of state for work and pensions. For political and public service

Matthew Vaughn

Filmmaker. For services to the creative industries

– Companion in the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB)

Elizabeth Perelman

Former principal private secretary to the prime minister. For public service

– Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)

John Bew

Former foreign policy adviser to the prime minister. For political and public service

– Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Nerissa Chesterfield

Former director of communications at No 10 Downing Street. For political and public service

Cassian Horowitz

Former special adviser to the prime minister. For political and public service

Lisa Lovering

Former head of operations at No 10 Downing Street. For political and public service

William Tanner

Former deputy chief of staff to the prime minister. For political and public service

Rupert Yorke

Former deputy chief of staff to the prime minister. For political and public service

– Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Eden Barnes

Former head of events and visits at No 10 Downing Street. For political and public service

Aidan Corley

Former head of research and messaging, 10 Downing Street, and special adviser to the prime minister. For political and public service

Douglas McNeill

Former chief economic adviser to prime minister. For political and public service

James Nation

Former deputy director of the Number 10 Policy Unit. For political and public service

Jamie Njoku-Goodwin

Former special adviser to the prime minister. For political and public service

Lucy Noakes

Former press secretary to the prime minister. For political and public service

Timothy Pitt

Former special adviser to the prime minister. For political and public service

Robert Trotter

Former official speechwriter for the prime minister. For public service

Henry de Zoete

Former adviser to the prime minister on artificial intelligence. For public service

– Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Ronald Kirk

Former councillor for Great Ayton, Hambleton District Council. For political and public service

George Livesey

Senior parliamentary assistant to the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP. For political and public service

Yvonne Peacock

Councillor for the Upper Dales, North Yorkshire Council. For political and public service

– Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

David McCormick

Collections manager at Chequers. For public service

Emma Paterson

Head housekeeper at Chequers. For public service