Boris Johnson has put his father forward for a knighthood in his resignation honours list, it has been reported.
The former prime minister, who left office last September, has nominated his dad, Stanley Johnson, for the honour.
Stanley Johnson is reported to be among as many as 100 nominations put forward by Boris Johnson, but the move is set to draw criticism, raising further questions about Mr Johnson’s use of the honours system to reward family members with titles.
Boris already came under fire in 2020, when he nominated his brother Jo Johnson, a former minister, for a peerage in 2020. He is now Lord Johnson of Marylebone.
A spokesperson for the former Conservative leader said: “We don’t comment on honours.”
Who is Stanley Johnson?
Father of Boris, Stanley is a former employee of the World Bank and the European Commission who is well known in the public domain. He served as an MP and an MEP, where he was outspoken about his concerns on climate change, and has written books on environmental and population issues. He also appeared on ITV reality show I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, which made him a household name.
Does Stanley Johnson have any other children?
Yes, a few. As well as former UK prime minister Boris Johnson, he has five other children; Maximilian, Leo, Julia, life peer and former minister Jo Johnson, and journalist Rachel Johnson.
What was Stanley Johnson’s career in politics like?
Johnson has also been a politician in his own right and was once awarded a prize from Greenpeace for his services to the environment.
He was an MP in the Conservative Party, representing Hampshire East, and also served as vice chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health, and Consumer Protection.
He would later stand as an MP in the 2005 General Election for the seat of Teignbridge in Devon, although lost out to the Lib Dems.
What about his reality TV career?
He appeared on the show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, set in the Australian jungle, in November 2017, and eventually finished in seventh place.
What controversy has Stanley Johnson faced?
In 2021, a senior Tory MP named Caroline Nokes publicly accused Stanley Johnson of touching her at Conservative Party conferences.
Ms Nokes, chairwoman of the Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee, said he smacked her on the backside at the Conservative Party conference in 2003.
Johnson has said that he had “no recollection” of Ms Nokes or the allegations.
