Leyland MP Seema Kennedy given OBE in former Prime Minister's resignation honours list

Mrs Kennedy was among a number of the former political aides to be recognised.

In other appointments, Sir Kim Darroch, who was forced to resign as ambassador to the United States after falling out with the Trump administration, is made a life peer. He will sit as a non-party crossbencher.

Tory Party treasurer Ehud Sheleg, who has donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to Conservative coffers, receives a knighthood.

Gavin Barwell - who succeeded Mr Timothy and Ms Hill as her chief of staff - becomes a life peer while David Lidington, seen as her de facto deputy, and ex-Number 10 communications chief Robbie Gibb are knighted.

Former chief whip Julian Smith - who has since been made Northern Ireland Secretary by Boris Johnson - is made a CBE.

Criticising Mrs May’s choices, Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery said: “It comes as no surprise that big Tory donors and Number 10 cronies are being honoured yet again.

The SNP’s Pete Wishart accused Mrs May of “handing out peerages like sweeties”, adding that it was the “worst kind of cronyism”.

He said: “It is a disgrace.”