𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The ex-PM has asked close allies for advice on whom he should reward with peerages and gongs, three years after saying he would never have a resignation honours list.

Previous leaders of the UK have awarded political allies, former senior aides such as chiefs of staff, and supportive parliamentarians.

In June 2023, Sir Keir promised never to make such a move after criticising former Tory prime minister Boris Johnson’s list.

Asked on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme if he would hand out resignation honours, Sir Keir said: “No. There are other opportunities.

“Tony Blair didn’t have a resignation list. It’s very hard to justify. There are other avenues for that, and I think it’s easier to be clean about this and simply say, no, I wouldn’t do it.”

He then twice declined to rule out a resignation honours list in July.

But The Sunday Times has reported that the former Labour leader is drafting a list of names to submit to Downing Street and has sought advice from trusted supporters.

The prospect of a Starmer honours list could open the door to figures such as Morgan McSweeney, his former chief of staff, being given seats in the House of Lords.

Mr McSweeney quit No 10 in February in the wake of the Lord Mandelson scandal, after taking responsibility for championing the disgraced peer for the role of UK ambassador to the US, despite his known friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile financier.

A spokesman for Sir Keir declined to comment.