David Cameron’s former strategy chief blasted for calling honours list 'corrupt'

Backlash: Steve Hilton said Cameron's honours list was 'corrupt'

PA Wire

Nicholas Cecil, Political Editor @nicholascecil

5 August 2016

The row over David Cameron handing out gongs and peerages escalated today after three of his allies attacked his former policy guru Steve Hilton who condemned “corruption” in the honours system.

Former Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire, who yesterday was awarded a KCMG, and former environment minister Richard Benyon and ex-energy minister Lord Barker hit out at Mr Hilton after he took to the airwaves to criticise how peers are appointed.

Mr Hilton, who was Mr Cameron’s strategy director before moving to America, also claimed honours could be bought by political donations.

But he came under fire on Twitter, with Mr Benyon messaging: “Oh joy. I thought we had heard last of @SteveHiltonx but he’s back from his Californian think yurt to patronise and amuse us #pompousa**e”.

Mr Swire tweeted: “Am I alone in never being able to work out which way up @SteveHiltonx is?”

Mr Barker added: “Would love to know where @SteveHiltonx pays #Taxation while lecturing us all on UK #Representation”

Mr Hilton responded: “Can’t people disagree on a policy matter w/out it being personal?”

But the former Prime Minister was at the centre of a storm after using his final honours list to create 13 Tory life peers, bringing the Conservative total in the Lords to 207, one more than Labour, and dished out gongs for allies, No 10 aides and Remain supporters.

Former Chancellor George Osborne becomes a Companion of Honour. Ex-Liberty chief Shami Chakrabarti was nominated by Labour for a peerage.

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David Cameron’s former strategy chief blasted for calling honours list 'corrupt'

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