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23-577: Since May 2007, the House of Lords Appointments Commission has had to approve proposed peerages, while oversight by the Honours Committee within the Cabinet Office ensures that other honours are appropriate. Some previous lists had attracted criticism. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair did not issue a list by June 2007, apparently because of the " Cash for Honours scandal ". Gordon Brown did not publish

46-460: A docudrama . An earlier scandal over David Lloyd George 's 1922 Dissolution Honours list resulted in the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 . Tony Blair did not issue a list, apparently because of the " Cash for Honours " scandal. Gordon Brown did not publish a resignation honours list either, but a dissolution list was issued on his advice (to similar effect). David Cameron revived

69-728: A formal classification. The purpose of the reform was to make the process more open and those making appointments more accountable. Upon the establishment of the Commission, the Prime Minister Tony Blair said it would ensure a House of Lords that was "more representative of our diverse society"; suitable candidates would be sought "in a wider field than up to now". Following the first set of appointments in April 2001, it was, however, pointed out that those chosen included several knights as well as leading academics and scientists, having much

92-786: A resignation honours list either, but a dissolution list was issued on his advice (to similar effect). David Cameron revived the practice in his Resignation Honours published in August 2016, following his resignation a month earlier. Some names on the list were leaked to the press several days in advance. A number of proposed recipients were reportedly blocked on ethical grounds. His successors, Theresa May , Boris Johnson and Liz Truss , followed suit in September 2019 , 2022/23 and December 2023 respectively. Resignation honours have been denounced by some as an example of cronyism . The 1976 resignation honours of Harold Wilson —which became known as

115-506: A total of 67 people being recommended for peerages. All of these individuals went on to be nominated as and created life peers. Upon taking their seats, every one of them joined the crossbenches . The fact that the type of people considered by the Commission for peers were to be neither aristocratic nor members of the "political class" led some in the British media to describe those it was to appoint as "people's peers". This term has never been

138-574: Is an independent advisory non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom with oversight of some aspects of the Peerage of the United Kingdom . It has two roles: to recommend at least two people a year for appointment as non-party-political life peers who sit on the crossbenches ; and to vet for propriety most other nominations for membership of the House of Lords , including those nominated by

161-525: The London Gazette , Canada Gazette , Commonwealth of Australia Gazette and New Zealand Gazette . The lists are also published in the daily newspapers of each realm. Honours have been awarded on the monarch's birthday since at least 9 November 1901, the birthday of King Edward VII ( r. 1901–1910). After 1908 the monarch's official birthday was moved to the first, second or third Saturday in June (for

184-521: The House of Lords Act 1999 . The commission was established in May 2000 to assist the transitional arrangements for reform of the House of Lords . The role of the prime minister in making non-partisan recommendations to the monarch for creation of life peerages was partially transferred to the commission, in order to ensure greater transparency in the process. It was also given oversight of all other appointments to

207-550: The " Cash-for-Honours scandal ." In 2020, the Commission objected to the nomination of Peter Cruddas for a peerage by Prime Minister Boris Johnson . Cruddas had donated over £1,000,000 to Johnson's Conservative Party . Johnson nonetheless decided that the appointment should proceed, becoming the first ever prime minister to overrule an advice of the Commission. It was reported in 2023 that eight nominations for life peerages in Boris Johnson's resignation honours were blocked by

230-520: The "Lavender List"—had caused controversy as a number of recipients were wealthy businessmen whose principles were considered antithetic to those held by the Labour Party at the time. Cameron's list was described by The New Statesman as a "who's who of failed Remainers ". May's list was criticised with SNP MP Pete Wishart likening it to "handing out peerages like sweeties to the same Tory advisers who got us into this Brexit mess ". Liz Truss

253-535: The Lords, including partisan nominations. The Commission has non-partisan members as well as representatives from the House of Lords of the three largest political parties: The Commission makes recommendations for the appointment of non-partisan life peers. It has established for itself seven criteria upon which to base its decisions, seeking to recommend people with The Commission has made recommendations for appointment on 16 occasions since its establishment in 2000, with

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276-514: The New Year Honours in Australia. The list is issued on 26 January every year. Birthday Honours are part of the celebration of the reigning monarch's official birthday in each realm. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, or their deputy. Known as King's Birthday Honours ( Queen's Birthday Honours in times of a female monarch), all royal honours are published in

299-531: The UK political parties , nominations put forward by the Prime Minister for ministerial appointment in the House of Lords, for public service, and nominations in the honours lists (including resignation and dissolution honours lists). The commission does not vet for propriety the appointments of Lords Spiritual ( Church of England bishops), or the excepted hereditary peers who sit in the House of Lords by virtue of

322-466: The UK). Other Commonwealth realms celebrate the official birthday on different dates (generally late May or early June), and release their honours lists accordingly. Coronation honours are awarded by the sovereign to mark their coronation . The honours are usually those within the sovereign's personal gift. Jubilee honours are awarded by the sovereign to mark their jubilee . The honours are usually those within

345-456: The behest of an outgoing Prime Minister following his or her resignation. In such a list, a Prime Minister may ask the monarch to bestow peerages , or other lesser honours, on any number of people of his or her choosing. At times, the appointments created controversy: for example the 1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours , also known as "the Lavender List", about which BBC Four produced

368-564: The commission. Crown Honours Lists Crown Honours Lists are lists of honours conferred upon citizens of the Commonwealth realms . The awards are presented by or in the name of the reigning monarch, currently King Charles III , or his vice-regal representative. Honours have been awarded at New Year since at least 1890, in which year a list of Queen Victoria 's awards was published in The London Gazette on 2 January. There

391-545: The monarch after the dissolution of Parliament . Typically, the list will include retiring MPs , some of whom are customarily made life peers . The list may also include knighthoods for others who have served in Parliament, including those who may not want peerages. Appointments to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom are also made. The Prime Minister's Resignation Honours in the United Kingdom are honours granted at

414-606: The practice in his 2016 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours published on 4 August following his July resignation. Bravery Council honours lists recipients of Australian bravery honours. The lists are issued twice a year, in March and August. As part of the British honours system, Special Honours are issued at the Monarch 's pleasure at any given time. The Special Honours refer to the awards made within royal prerogative, operational honours, political honours and other honours awarded outside

437-490: The same establishment background that would have been made peers anyway. The Labour MP Diane Abbott described them as "the metropolitan elite ". The people recommended for appointment as life peers by the Commission since its establishment are listed below, by date of recommendation. In March 2006, the Commission objected to several men proposed for working peerages by Prime Minister Tony Blair , who had loaned large amounts of money to Blair's Labour Party . This led to

460-405: The sovereign's personal gift. Demise honours are awarded after the death of a member of a royal consort or member of the royal family, examples include the honours awarded after the deaths of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret in 2002 , Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in 2021 , and Queen Elizabeth II in 2023 . The Dissolution Honours List lists recipients of honours from

483-430: Was confirmed to be eligible for a resignation honours list, despite only having been prime minister for seven weeks; this caused considerable controversy, with Alastair Campbell saying that she and Johnson had "disgraced and debased an office they should never have held". On 25 March 2023, The Sun and i newspapers reported Truss had submitted a Resignation Honours list recommending four people for honours. The list

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506-604: Was no honours list at New Year 1902, as a list had been published on the new king's birthday the previous November, but from January 1903 until 1909 a list (including only Indian orders) was published. The other orders were announced on the king's birthday in November. Australia has discontinued New Year Honours, and now announces its honours on Australia Day , 26 January, and the King's Official Birthday holiday, in early June. The Australia Day honours were established in 1975 to replace

529-627: Was published on 29 December 2023 at the same time as the 2024 New Year Honours , and was greeted with criticism for containing a list of her political supporters. Willie Russell of the Electoral Reform Society said, "It looks like the political class dishing out rewards for failure at a time when many people are still suffering the effects from her turbulent premiership". † Not issued † Not issued † Not issued † Not issued House of Lords Appointments Commission The House of Lords Appointments Commission ( HOLAC )

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