Rishi Sunak has hinted he could rubber-stamp Liz Truss's resignation honours list - despite the ex-PM almost crashing the economy during her 49 days in No10.
Facing questions from senior MPs on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said the process for Ms Truss's gongs for allies was "ongoing" - but the list is yet to reach his desk.
He also awkwardly laughed off a question from Tory MP William Wragg over whether he would issue his own honours list if ousted from No10 at the next election.
"It's not something I'm focused on," the Prime Minister told the Liaison Committee.
But Mr Sunak told MPs on Tuesday that under existing conventions previous PM's are "entitled to resignation honours" which go through "the normal vetting process".
He said: "I follow what I understand and believe to be the long-standing convention of forwarding those names to the Palace for clearance after they have been through the vetting process. And without any active involvement, engagement or interference in that process."
Pressed on whether there were any circumstances where a resignation honours list is not appropriate, the PM repeated it was a "long-standing convention" to forward a list.
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"That has generally been the case for political honours more broadly," he said.
"They are forwarded without the person in charge necessarily agreeing with political honours more generally and that's how the system has worked."
His comments came just weeks after No10 faced anger for signing off disgraced ex-PM Boris Johnson's list - days before he was found to have misled MPs over the Partygate scandal.
Earlier this year, Ms Truss - the country's shortest-serving Prime Minister - also submitted a resignation list despite her chaotic stint in Downing Street.
Reports suggested those on the list could include Brexit campaigner Matthew Elliott, Tory donor Jon Moynihan and long-term aide Ruth Porter, who currently works as a lobbyist.
Mark Littlewood, the chief of the Institute of Economic Affairs who backed large sections of Ms Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng ’s disastrous mini-Budget, could also be made a peer.
Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner has previously called on Mr Sunak to block this list.
She said in March: "Liz Truss and her Conservative co-conspirators took a wrecking ball to the economy in a disastrous six-week premiership that has left millions facing mortgage misery, but Rishi Sunak now looks set to allow her to hand out these obscene rewards for failure.
"If this Prime Minister was serious about the integrity he promised, he would be point blank refusing to rubber stamp Liz Truss' list of shame.
"Instead of approving undeserved honours and lifetime golden goodbyes for her cheerleaders, he should be demanding the public apology she has refused to provide."
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