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Former England cricket captain Sir Ian Botham will join the House of Lords, the government confirmed.
The 64-year-old man, a big proponent of Brexit, is among 36 new pairs, which also include former Foreign Ministers Ken Clarke and Philip Hammond.
Jo Johnson, the younger brother of the Prime Minister he continues to support, who resigned as Minister last year in protest at government policy, will join them.
Former Labor MPs Frank Field, Kate Hoey and Gisela Stuart are also teammates.
And Philip May, husband of former Prime Minister Theresa May, is knighted for “political service”.
Sir Ian, who played 102 test matches for England between 1977 and 1992, is an advocate of field sports and a prominent Brexit supporter who was knighted in 2007 in recognition of his charity and cricket services.
His most famous moment on the field came in 1981 when he inspired a sensational defeat for Australia. After retiring, he became a commentator and started his own wine label.
It will sit like a crossover bench, independent, alike.
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Ruth Davidson retired from frontline politics last year
Jo Johnson, who retired as a deputy in the December general election, resigned from the government last September and said he was “torn between family loyalty and the national interest.”
Clarke and Hammond were among the 21 conservative MPs who lost the party whip last fall when they rebelled against Johnson in an attempt to avoid a Brexit without a deal.
Ruth Davidson, who resigned as Scottish Tory leader last August after eight years in office, saying the idea of spending long periods away from her young son filled her with “fear” – she also becomes a companion.
‘Massive U-turn’
House of Lords spokesman Lord Fowler criticized the decision to award 36 pairs, calling the list “a missed opportunity to cut numbers.”
He said: “The result will be that the House will soon be almost 830 strong, almost 200 larger than the House of Commons. That is a massive policy of change of direction.”
Evgeny Lebedev, owner of the Independent and London Evening Standard, becomes a partner, as does Charles Moore, former editor of the Daily Telegraph and biographer of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Other politicians who will join the House of Lords include former Conservative Party Chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin, former Conservative Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, and Nigel Dodds, formerly vice chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party.
Of the honest Labor MPs, Ms Hoey and Ms Stuart were prominent pro-Brexit activists during the 2016 EU referendum.
Lord Newby, Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Lords, said: “By giving large numbers of their peer friends, [Mr Johnson] it has shown that conservatives have abandoned any pretense of reducing the size of the bloated House of Lords. “
For the SNP, MP Pete Wishart accused the prime minister of “handing over lifetime jobs in the House of Lords not elected to friends and those who have done him favors.”
“The prime minister’s idea of leveling up involves gifting his cronies, harming policy makers and family members with jobs as legislators for life, with no democratic mandate or accountability to people across the UK.
“It is the worst kind of cronyism that only highlights the rotten Westminster system that is detached from reality.”
