Chaotic Boris Johnson is set to cause ANOTHER headache for under-pressure Rishi Sunak - by pushing for a peerage for a newspaper boss previously opposed by appointments chiefs.
The shamed former Prime Minister is reportedly sticking to his guns over Daily Mail boss Paul Dacre being on his resignation honours list - the second time he's been nominated for a peerage.
It comes just days after it emerged he also wants to give a knighthood to his own dad, Stanley Johnson, in a move which provoked outrage.
It puts Mr Sunak in a difficult position, as an intervention could tear open a vicious spat with his old boss.
It is understood the House of Lords appointments commission (Holac), which vets peerages, has raised concerns about Mr Dacre in the past.
The newspaper had been expected to be included in Mr Johnson's political honours list in the autumn, which created 13 new Tory peers, but his name was not included.
According to The Guardian, Mr Dacre is included in Mr Johnson's long-awaited resignation honours list, which has been the subject of intense speculation since he left No10 in disgrace last year.
Outgoing Prime Ministers are permitted to name people they wish to be awarded peerages - a practice which has been controversial pretty much as long as it's existed.
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But nearly six months after his departure following a huge rebellion within his own ranks, the full list - which is said to include 100 names - has still yet to be released.
The House of Lords appointments committee runs the rule over nominations for the upper chamber but only the Prime Minister can block them.
Mr Sunak will face intense criticism if he allows Stanley Johnson to receive a knighthood after reports emerged that his son had nominated him for one.
Keir Starmer said the public would find the reports "absolutely outrageous".
The Labour leader told LBC: "The idea that Boris Johnson is nominating his dad for a knighthood - you only need to say it to realise just how ridiculous it is.
"It's classic of a man like Johnson. I mean, I think the public will just think this is absolutely outrageous."
He added: "The idea of an ex-prime minister bestowing honours on his dad - for services to what?"
Liberal Democrats chief whip Wendy Chamberlain urged Rishi Sunak to veto Mr Johnson's honours list if future ones "are to have any shred of credibility".
It is the latest twist in the difficult relationship between Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak.
The current PM quit in July over Mr Johnson's handling of the Chris Pincher scandal. Dozens of MPs followed, but Mr Sunak faced venom from party members during a bitter leadership contest with Liz Truss, with many accusing him of betraying his old boss.
A public row between the two could open up a fresh split in a heavily-divided party.
Since leaving office Mr Johnson has griped from the sidelines about his successor's Brexit deal and held meetings with leaders in the US and Ukraine despite holding no role in government.
The current Prime Minister has thus far resisted escalating tensions with Mr Johnson, but the controversial honours list will prove a challenge to navigate.
In an interview with Mr Sunak in January Piers Morgan observed that Mr Johnson has been "acting like he's still Prime Minister".
But the PM claimed to have no issue with his behaviour, saying, "No, gosh, we've got a long list of previous Prime Ministers and the fact they still want to contribute to public life is great."
Since then, however, Mr Johnson has lashed out at the PM's Westminster Framework Brexit deal, aimed at sorting out the Northern Ireland Protocol mess.
In a speech last week he said: "This is the EU graciously unbending to allow us to do what we want to do in our own country, not by our laws, but by theirs."
He added: "I'm going to find it difficult to vote for something like this myself because I believe we should have done something different."
