Johnson's honours spark controversy

A CABINET minister has said he believes the House of Lords is due for reform, "not least" owing to its size, as details emerged of the MPs expected to be granted peerages in Boris Johnson's resignation honours list.

But Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said it would be "very difficult" to get political consensus on any possible shakeup.

Downing Street said it is "committed" to looking at the role of the Lords, but further reform is "not an immediate priority".

It comes as Mr Johnson has asked the MPs he has nominated for peerages to delay taking them up so they do not trigger byelections.

The politicians are all understood to have agreed to put off heading to the Lords until the end of the current Parliament to spare Prime Minister Rishi Sunak the poll challenges.