Outgoing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been called out by many, as The Sunday Times reported he is set to elevate former Commons Speaker John Bercow, as well as his right-hand man Tom Watson and another senior Labour figure, Karie Murphy, to the House of Lords.
Sources in the party did not deny the claim, but have so far declined to comment on The Times' report.
Corbyn instantly faced accusations of hypocrisy for nominating his allies for the top peerage roles, given that he had earlier been critical of the “establishment” as well as David Cameron and Theresa May’s practice of doing so when they quit their posts.
“And Labour wonder why people think them odd", one weighed in, while another came up with an even more descriptive – although strong-worded – account:
Many have outright called for the abolition of the “unelected House of Lords”, while some rushed to share their “disgust":
Quite a few, meanwhile, rose in Bercow’s defence, singling him out as a speaker:
…while some suggested it was “quite a nice troll of Johnson and the Tories:”
It is unclear whether Bercow would sit as a Labour peer or a crossbencher, as he first entered Parliament as a Tory MP and was even a member of the so-called Monday Club, which called for the “repatriation” of immigrants.
Separately, Corbyn has been criticised for the inclusion of his former chief of staff, Karie Murphy, to the eight-strong list of potential peers, amid a proceeding inquiry into how Labour dealt with allegations of anti-Semitism within the party. For instance, the Jewish Labour Movement referred to Karie Murphy’s nomination as “deeply inappropriate”, calling to “rescind it immediately”.
The politicians’ prospective nomination could still be vetoed, as the House of Lords Appointments Commission is supposed to weigh and vet all nominees.
After its overwhelming defeat in the 12 December vote, Labour is now fully engaged in a leadership race, which will determine who Corbyn will pass on the baton to, and thereby the direction that the party will go post-Brexit.