Theresa May accused of bribery for handing Brexiteer MP John Hayes a knighthood as she launches push to get MPs to back her deal
The ex-Transport minister will get an honour as the Prime Minister launches an all-out assault to try and get her Brexit agreement through Parliament
THERESA MAY faced accusations of hypocrisy and bribery this evening after awarding a Knighthood to a veteran Eurosceptic days before the crunch Brexit vote.
Downing Street this afternoon announced John Hayes, a former Minister, would become Sir John in a rare honour.
It comes with No.10 desperate to win back scores of Tories who have publicly vowed to block Theresa May’s Brexit agreement.
A vote is due to take place in the week beginning December 10.
Last week Sir John demanded the PM “look again” at elements of her deal and warned he couldn’t accept the terms of the so-called Irish backstop.
Speaking earlier he insisted the gong had no bearing on how he will vote.
Best for Britain champion Virendra Sharma said: “This is utter hypocrisy from a Prime Minister who pledged to end Cameron’s wheeler dealer ways on Honours.
"It seems like Downing Street will do anything to get their bad Brexit deal through."
Earlier this week furious young Tory MPs claimed older Eurosceptics had refused to put in No Confidence letters against Theresa May because they were hoping for a peerage.
First elected in 1997, John Hayes serves South Holland in Lincolnshire, which delivered the nation’s second highest Leave vote in 2016.
He chairs the arch Eurosceptic ‘Cornerstone Group’ and called on Parliament earlier this month to consider the return of the death penalty to curb violent
crime.
He lost his post as Transport Minister in Theresa May’s reshuffle this January.
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