UK's May seeks to duck Cameron cronyism debate

Theresa May sought on Monday to stay out of a controversy over a list of 48 people submitted by her predecessor David Cameron for consideration for various state honors in Britain.

Cameron's apparent list of nominees was discovered and revealed by newspaper "The Sunday Times"; it included two of the former prime minister's drivers, his wife's stylist, four prominent cabinet ministers, several political donors, and various aides to Cameron. The nominations for various British honors - ultimately approved and bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II and a special committee - swiftly elicited allegations of cronyism. Some British papers objected to the rewards being sought for prominent Remain campaigners who lost out in June 23's Brexit vote on EU membership.

Still, Theresa May's office said that it would neither be supporting nor opposing the proposals.

"It is standard for an outgoing prime minister to submit a resignation list," a spokeswoman for Prime Minister May said on Monday. "The names on the list were at the former prime minister's discretion, and they will now go through all the proper processes and committees. It would set a very bad precedent for a new prime minister to interfere in the official processes."

Typically, all "honours list" nominations in the UK go through a special committee, with two sets published per year. The exception comes when a prime minister leaves 10 Downing Street. That politician can then submit a list of his or her own proposals. However, the last two PMs to leave office, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown of the Labour Party, declined to draw up lists.

Britain has a series of antiquated honors extensive enough to rival almost any country, from OBEs to CBEs to MBEs to knighthoods, dames, and even old chivalric titles like the Order of the Bath, or the Order of St Michael and St George.

Donors, drivers, stylists, defeated 'Remainers'

Some of Cameron's choices hailed very much from the Conservative MP's inner circle.

One name drawing particular attention was Isabel Spearman, who worked as a special adviser in Downing Street on behalf of Cameron's wife Samantha, helping her run her calendar, throw official parties, and to choose outfits for various appointments. Nominations for Cameron's drivers and a series of his aides, speech writers or policy advisers also prompted the cronyism cries, as did leading business figures.

However, doubt was cast on Monday as to whether the Times' information was accurate concerning the three most prominent politicians supposedly nominated for top titles. The BBC cited government sources as saying that while most of the list was correct, the article was wrong about members of Cameron's cabinet making the list.

George Osborne, Cameron's right-hand as finance minister (or Chancellor of the Exchequer) throughout his premiership, was supposedly nominated for a top honor reserved to no more than 66 living people. May did not appoint Osborne to her cabinet, but the 45-year-old might well seek a front-bench return at some point in the future, prompting some to question the timing of the potential accolade.

Similarly, Philip Hammond - Cameron's foreign minister, now Osborne's successor under May - was said to have been put forward for a senior title, as was Michael Fallon, who has retained his post as defense minister either side of the change of Tory leadership. As a rule of thumb, politicians tend to find themselves on the honors lists only once their departure date from the House of Commons is set.

Prominent donors to the Conservative Party like Vitol Oil CEO Ian Taylor and Andrew Cook, chairman of engineering firm William Cook, were both nominated for knighthoods. Taylor was caught up in the UN oil-for-food program in Iraq, while Cook has reportedly lent Cameron his private jet several times.

Will Straw, the son of Labour political stalwart Jack Straw, also won an early nomination to be named a "Commander of the British Empire" in his mid-30's; he was executive director of the "Britain Stronger In" campaign. Straw sought a parliamentary seat for Labour in 2015, but lost to the Tory incumbent; he's yet to serve as an MP.

Euroskpetics like UKIP stalwart Nigel Farage mocked the list, saying Cameron was seeking to dole out "rewards for failure."