BORIS Johnson has been accused of “the worst kind of cronyism” as he prepares to reward his Brexit-supporting friends, including Sir Ian Botham, with peerages this week.

The former England cricketer and broadcaster is among a group of 30 Brexiteers who will become peers as part of the UK Prime Minister’s bestowal of rewards which will mark his first year in office.

A Times report also highlighted that four ex-Labour MPs – Frank Field, Gisela Stuart, Ian Austin and John Woodcock – who supported the Tories’ Brexit deal and urged Labour voters not to support Jeremy Corbyn will be honoured.

The Prime Minister will also include three Tory rebels – Ken Clarke, Philip Hammond and Ed Vaizey – who tried to block his deal and had the whip withdrawn, in an effort to try to heal divisions within the party.

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The SNP’s shadow leader of the House of Commons Tommy Sheppard yesterday slammed the British Prime Minister and Tory leader over the patronage and the timing of the announcement during the Covid-19 crisis.

He said: “We are in the midst of a global health pandemic and devastating economic crisis, and yet Boris Johnson’s attention is on rewarding those who publicly championed Brexit and helped him force through a policy that will inflict lasting and untold damage upon the UK.

“Handing out peerages for Brexit loyalty is the worst kind of cronyism and highlights yet again the broken and rotten Westminster system.

“Rather than accepting the extension to the transition period on offer from the EU to focus on tackling the coronavirus crisis, the Tory leader filled up the unelected House of horrors with those who backed his plans to make the Brexit nightmare a reality.”

Downing Street gave no comment.