BORIS Johnson has appointed the man who edited a book called “The Wit and Wisdom of Boris Johnson” to the Lords Appointments Commission.
Labour said the appointment of Harry Mount to the body responsible for vetting new members of the House of Lords was a “display of pure arrogance” from Johnson – who has just days left in office.
In 2013, Mount edited and wrote the introduction to a book on the outgoing Tory leader – then the mayor of London – called The Wit and Wisdom of Boris Johnson. Johnson fully authorised the book.
A Guardian review published at the time described Mount as a “quivering fanboy” of Johnson. “The grovelling here is unreal,” it added.
In a 2007 interview, the New Yorker wrote: “At Oxford, Mount was tapped for the exclusive Bullingdon Club; he enjoys a certain notoriety for having been rolled down a hill in a portable toilet."
Mount is also a second cousin of former prime minister David Cameron.
Despite this, Mount, a journalist and contributor to right-wing publications including the Telegraph, the Spectator, and the Daily Mail, has been made an “independent” member of the Lords Commission.
The Commission’s role is to recommend people as non-party political life peers and to vet nominations for life peers, including those nominated by the UK political parties, “to ensure the highest standards of propriety”.
Independent members such as Mount serve non-renewable five-year terms.
Cabinet Office Minister Lord Nicholas True welcomed Mount’s appointment, saying: “I would like to congratulate Harry Mount on his appointment as an independent member to the House of Lords Appointments Commission.
“Harry Mount brings a wealth of experience from his career, and has much to offer House of Lords Appointments Commission and I wish him the best in his role.”
However, Labour blasted the “cronyism” of the appointment. The party’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said: "This is a display of pure arrogance by Boris Johnson, putting his own leading crony in charge of stopping cronyism in Parliament.
"Instead of tackling the cost-of-living crisis facing the public, the Prime Minister is using his last days in office for a final desperate bid to hand out more jobs for the boys.
"Far from promising long overdue change, the Tory continuity candidates offer more of the same sleaze and self-interest that have defined their government for years."
The UK Government stressed in its press release that Mount's new role "was widely advertised, including on the Public Appointments website, from June 8 and closed on July 12".
The news comes amid suggestions that the Tory government under Johnson is looking to pack the Lords with their allies in order to avoid embarrassing defeats like they have seen under the current administration.
Johnson will be removed as Tory leader on Monday September 5 after the winner of the race to replace him is announced.
