The Times newspaper reported that the former Conservative leader, who stepped down as prime minister last September, had included Mr Johnson on his resignation honors list.
The list is said to include several Johnson supporters who are being nominated for the House of Lords. The former Prime Minister appointed his younger brother Jo to the House of Lords in 2020.
“The idea that Boris Johnson is nominating his father for a knighthood – you only have to say it to realize how absurd it is,” Labor leader Keir Starmer told LBC radio.
“I think the public will think it’s absolutely outrageous,” he said, asking what Mr Johnson had done to deserve the knighthood.
The list is a political headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has to sign off on controversial nominations from his predecessor and is trying to keep Johnson’s allies on his side.
Sunak’s representative said the article contained speculation and emphasized: “Long-standing rules protect the awards process and there are no plans to change that.”
Asked by LBC for her assessment, Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: “Frankly, I think there are more important things to do.”
S. Johnson’s nomination would also be controversial due to accusations of sexual harassment of two women and violence once morest his ex-wife – B. Johnson’s mother.
The elder Johnson denies any wrongdoing.
During the 2016 Brexit referendum, S. Johnson, a former member of the European Parliament, voted for the UK to remain in the European Union. His son was leading the Leave campaign at the time.
Johnson later expressed support for Brexit and was accused of hypocrisy when he secured French citizenship last year.
