Rishi Sunak's resignation honours list in full - with gongs for Michael Gove and James Cleverly

Prominent Conservatives Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, and James Cleverly have received honours following the release of Rishi Sunak's contentious resignation honours list.

Michael Gove has been granted a peerage and will be taking his place in the House of Lords, while Jeremy Hunt and James Cleverly have both been knighted. Other former Tory cabinet members including Grant Shapps, Mel Stride, and Andrew Mitchell have also been awarded knighthoods, with additional accolades going to members of Mr Sunak's team at No10.

The decision to bestow awards on his political colleagues has led to immediate allegations of "shameless cronyism" against the ousted Prime Minister. In an unexpected twist, cricket enthusiast Mr Sunak conferred a knighthood upon ex-England fast bowler James Anderson.

Film producer Matthew Vaughn, known for his work on 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', was also honoured.

Ex-Cabinet minister Mr Gove, notorious for his dramatic betrayal of Boris Johnson during Johnson's initial bid for leadership, is one of seven individuals named as new peers. Simon Hart, the former Tory Chief Whip who made remarkable revelations about misconduct in a revealing diary, has been raised to the Lords alongside Alister Jack and former Attorney General Victoria Prentis, reports the Mirror.

Prior to the Conservatives' historic general election loss last year, Mr Gove stepped down as an MP and currently serves as editor of the right-leaning Spectator magazine.

For the full list, please scroll down.

The honours are rolling in for some former Cabinet ministers, as the ex-Chancellor Mr Hunt and ex-Home Secretary James Cleverly are set to receive knighthoods, making them Sir Jeremy and Sir James respectively. Former Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell is also in line for a knighthood, while Leave campaigner and ex-Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers will be honoured with a damehood.

The contentious tenure of Mr Gove under four Conservative Prime Ministers has not gone unnoticed, especially his critique-laden time as Education Secretary. Often clashing with education unions and teachers, referred to as the "Blob" his tough stance carried into his criticism of "middle class professionals" taking drugs.

Mr Gove confessed back in 2019 to his own drug use during his journalism days, acknowledging he was "fortunate" to sidestep a jail sentence.

In the wake of Mr Gove's peerage news, Labour's Stephen Kinnock didn't mince words on Friday. Mr Kinnock expressed his disapproval by saying: "I think Michael Gove has done huge damage to this country, he's one of the architects of having a Brexit with no plan, which led to the botching of the deal, he's been at the heart of some really damaging policies... look at the mess we ended up in. I wouldn't be the person giving him a peerage."

Adding more intrigue to Mr Sunak's resignation honours list, revealed on Friday afternoon, is the bestowal of a peerage upon the former Tory chief whip Simon Hart. His explosive memoir recounts tales of turmoil during Mr Sunak's tenure, including an extraordinary episode involving an MP who contacted him from a brothel, claiming to be in a bind over purported KGB entanglement.

Lib Dem Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper has blasted the recent round of political nominations, stating: "These political nominations look like an ID parade of political flunkies whose fingerprint of failure are still felt on family finances."

She continued by expressing her frustration at what she perceives as incompetence: "They are rewards for the failure of a dreadful Conservative Government that was rightly kicked out of office. Millions of hard working families were fed up after years of Conservative chaos culminating in a cost of living crisis, and public services on their knees."

Cooper didn't stop there, asserting, "The fact that Rishi Sunak has dished out honours to his mates after all the damage they did is yet more proof of how out of touch the Conservatives still are."

Resignation Honours April 2025 have been announced, with a list of Peerages and orders including:.

Peerages:.

Michael Gove.

Previous Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Mark Harper.

Ex-Secretary of State for Transport.

Simon Hart.

Former Chief Whip of the House of Commons.

Sir Alister William Jack KBE DL.

Once Secretary of State for Scotland.

Stephen Massey.

Past Chief Executive Officer of the Conservative Party.

Victoria Prentis KC.

Prior Attorney General.

Eleanor Shawcross (Wolfson).

Ex-Head of the No 10 Policy Unit.

Orders within the Order of St Michael and St George grant the honour of Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) to:.

Andrew Mitchell MP.

For his contribution as the former Secretary of State for International Development and Deputy Foreign Secretary in political and public service.

Order of the British Empire awards include:.

Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire: Theresa Villiers.

Former Chipping Barnet MP has been recognised for political and public service.

Knights Bachelor.

James Anderson OBE, England Cricketer, has been knighted for his services to cricket.

James Cleverly MP, former Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary, has been honoured for political and public service.

Jeremy Hunt MP, who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary, Health Secretary and Culture Secretary, has been recognised for political and public service.

Grant Shapps, former Defence Secretary, Energy Secretary, Business Secretary, Home Secretary, and Transport Secretary, has been acknowledged for political and public service.

Mel Stride MP, former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has been recognised for political and public service.

Matthew Vaughn, a filmmaker, has been honoured for his services to the creative industries.

Order of the Bath.

Elizabeth Perelman, former Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, has been made a Companion in the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB) for her public service.

Order of St Michael and St George.

John Bew, former Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister, has been made a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George(CMG) for political and public service.

Order of the British Empire.

Nerissa Chesterfield, former Director of Communications at No10 Downing Street, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for political and public service.

Cassian Horowitz, former Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, has been recognised with a CBE for political and public service.

Lisa Lovering.

Former Head of Operations at No10 Downing Street, William Tanner, has been recognised for his political and public service.

Similarly, former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Rupert Yorke, has also been acknowledged for his contributions to political and public service.

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) include Eden Barnes, the former Head of Events and Visits at No10 Downing Street, Aidan Corley, the former Head of Research and Messaging at 10 Downing Street and Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, and Douglas McNeill, the former Chief Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister. All have been honoured for their political and public service.

James Nation, the former Deputy Director of the Number 10 Policy Unit, Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, the former Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, Lucy Noakes, the former Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, Timothy Pitt, the former Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, Robert Trotter, the former official speechwriter for the Prime Minister, and Henry de Zoete, the former adviser to the Prime Minister on Artificial Intelligence, have all been awarded OBEs for their public service.

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) include Ronald Kirk, the former Councillor for Great Ayton, Hambleton District Council, who has been recognised for his political and public service. George Livesey is also mentioned.

Senior Parliamentary Assistant to the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP has been recognised for political and public service.

Yvonne Peacock, a Councillor for the Upper Dales at North Yorkshire Council, has also been acknowledged for her political and public service.

Among the Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) are David McCormick, Collections Manager at Chequers, and Emma Paterson, Head Housekeeper at Chequers, both honoured for their public service.