Ian Botham has refused to comment on speculation he is to be awarded a life peerage as Boris Johnson marks his first year in Downing Street by appearing to reward Brexit supporters.
The 64-year-old former England cricketer said he was respecting protocol, meaning he “cannot say anything at this stage”. A report in the Times suggested he would enter the House of Lords after being a high-profile supporter of Brexit.
“You will know the protocol as well as I do,” Botham told the Guardian. “And that is that I obviously cannot say anything at this stage. That’s the way it works.”
He said the apparent contravention of the appointments protocol by the Times had “nothing to do with me”, adding: “The Times can write what they want and people can speculate but I’m not in a position to say anything, and when I am then I’ll be free and open with everybody.”
Botham is considered one of England’s greatest ever cricketers, with 5,200 Test runs and 383 wickets. He was knighted in 2007 in recognition of his charity work and services to the sport.
At a Vote Leave event in County Durham with Johnson in May 2016, he said: “I have been lucky enough to grow up in a wonderful country, a country that has always been able to look after itself.” But he said he believed the UK’s power had been “eroded by Brussels”.
He added: “I think, hang on, enough’s enough” and “it would be nice to go back to being [the UK]”. He also said the country could become “cluttered” if it remained in the EU.
Asked about concerns over job losses if the UK voted to leave, Botham said: “If we stay, who’s going to get those jobs? The people coming into our country, they don’t seem to have to come over with a job, any qualifications, just turn up.”
A keen shooter, Botham has also long criticised conservation groups and claimed grouse shooting promotes stewardship of the environment, despite the burning of heather and the killing of animals who may disturb or kill mating game birds.
Reporters received no answer at his home near Richmond, North Yorkshire, on Saturday, where it was understood he held a cook-along charity barbecue the night before.
No 10 refused to comment on the report, which also named more than two dozen other possible recipients of life peerages.
The list is said to include four ex-Labour MPs including Frank Field and Gisela Stuart, both of whom supported Brexit. There could also be peerages for Ian Austin and John Woodcock, who backed remain but supported Johnson’s Brexit deal and urged Labour voters not to support Jeremy Corbyn, according to the Times.
The article also suggested Johnson would seek to heal divisions in the Conservative party with peerages for the remain supporters Ken Clarke, Philip Hammond and Ed Vaizey. The trio had the Tory whip withdrawn after seeking to block a no-deal Brexit.
The House of Lords appointments commission vets nominees from political parties to the upper parliamentary chamber, and the Queen then bestows peerages.
An announcement on peerages is due to be made this month.
