The Tory MP who quit his ministerial role because he couldn’t afford rising mortgage repayments on a salary of nearly £120,000 has accidentally forwarded his nomination for a knighthood to 110 colleagues.
George Freeman posted a gushing letter of support for him getting a gong on a Whatsapp group for the Tory One Nation caucus by mistake, The Sun has reported.
He resigned as science minister in November amid Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet reshuffle.
In a Substack blog post last week, he wrote: “Why did I stand down?
“Because my mortgage rises this month from £800pcm to £2,000, which I simply couldn’t afford to pay on a Ministerial salary.
“That’s political economy 2.0.
“We’re in danger of making politics something only Hedge Fund Donors, young spin doctors and failed trade unionists can afford to do.”
A letter recommending him to be knighted has since been leaked by The Sun, with signatories from the science community backing Freeman for a “Knighthood for Services to Science and Public Service”.
The letter claimed he is an “outspoken champion” and a “defining force” worthy of the top honour.
It added that he had been “strikingly non partisan” and had “won the respect of colleagues across all parties.”
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