Starmer facing fresh cronyism row as he prepares to appoint new peers

Sir Keir Starmer faces a fresh cronyism row as he prepares to appoint 30 new Labour peers this week – including his former chief of staff Sue Gray.

The Prime Minister is reportedly planning to elevate a host of former MPs to the House of Lords despite his plan to cut the numbers in the upper chamber. Indeed, he has said previously he wants to abolish the House of Lords altogether.

It is suggested allies of Sir Keir – including ex-MPs Thangam Debbonaire, Julie Elliott, Lyn Brown and Kevin Brennan – are in line for peerages.

The elevation of Ms Gray, who was axed after weeks of bitter briefings against her, will also raise eyebrows. Her three months in No10 were marked by reports of tensions within Sir Keir’s top team while it was leaked she was earning more than the PM’s salary of £166,786.

Ms Gray, before taking up her role with Labour, worked for decades in the civil service.

She became a household name as the Partygate investigator and her critical report into the Downing Street gatherings contributed to Boris Johnson’s downfall in 2022.

The wave of appointments could leave Sir Keir open to accusations of hypocrisy.

Labour’s manifesto said the House of Lords reform was ‘long overdue’ with too many peers not playing a ‘proper’ role.

The party previously said the continued presence of hereditary peers in the Lords - who are there by right of birth - was 'outdated and indefensible' and reform is ' essential'. 

The Government said, in the 21st century, there should not be seats in the Lords 'reserved for individuals who were born into certain families' or 'seats effectively reserved for men'.

Labour also attacked the 'static' political composition of hereditary peers, with 42 seats ringfenced for Conservatives, 28 for crossbenchers, three for Liberal Democrats, and two for Labour, while 15 are elected by the whole House.

The remaining hereditary peers in the Lords were left as an exception to Labour's last reforms to the upper House in 1999, when they were previously in power.

Their manifesto also included a pledge to introduce a mandatory retirement age of 80 for all peers.

They vowed to bring in a new participation requirement for peers and make it easier for disgraced members to be removed from the Lords.

The controversy comes as Labour is facing more accusations of hypocrisy after abandoning a vow to compensate women hit by increases in the state pension age.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said government would not pay a penny to the 3.8million ‘Waspi women’ who were told they would have to work five years longer to receive their pension.

Senior Labour figures, including Sir Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Ms Kendall, all backed the women’s campaign in opposition.

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Betrayal that proves Labour cynically said ANYTHING to get elected: Waspi women storm brewing

In 2022, Sir Keir signed a pledge calling for the women affected to receive ‘fair and fast’ compensation. Last year, he said they had faced a huge injustice’. But on Monday, the Prime Minister said the Government could not afford the estimated £10.5billion cost – which would have seen a payout of up to £3,000 to each of the more than 3million affected.

The decision triggered a wave of anger with Angela Madden, chairman of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) group, describing it as an ‘insult’.

In the Commons, Ms Kendall faced a backlash from Labour MPs and cries of ‘shame’.

Labour MP Brian Leishman said he was ‘appalled’ by the decision, telling Ms Kendall: ‘Waspi women certainly do not need words of disappointment and they certainly do not need hollow statements. What they need is justice.’

Tory pensions spokesman Helen Whately said it was ‘no surprise’ Labour had broken its pre-election pledges to the Waspi women.

In opposition, Labour were relentless in exploiting the Waspi campaign.

Ms Kendall describes herself on her own website as a ‘long-standing supporter’.

At the 2019 election, the party committed itself to paying billions of pounds in compensation. At the time Angela Rayner, now the deputy prime minister, said: ‘Any government should act responsibly to these women.’