BORIS JOHNSON is facing yet another cronyism row after he handed a life peerage to a Tory donor yesterday despite watchdogs’ concerns.

The PM brushed aside objections from the House of Lords appointments commission to elevate Tory former treasurer Peter Cruddas to the upper house.

Lord Speaker Norman Fowler also voiced concerns about the number of peers appointed by the Prime Minister, noting that he has added 52 this year. 

In a letter to appointments commission chairman Lord Bew, the PM rejected “historic concerns” raised about Mr Cruddas.

He resigned in 2012 after he was filmed offering access to then prime minister David Cameron and chancellor George Osborne for up to £250,000.

Mr Cruddas put the incident down to “bluster” and said there was “no question” that access could actually have been obtained.

Mr Johnson wrote: “The most serious accusations levelled at the time were found to be untrue and libellous,” and that an internal Conservative Party investigation “found there had been no intentional wrongdoing.”

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “After months of revelations about the cronyism at the heart of this government, it’s somehow appropriate that the Prime Minister has chosen to end the year with a peerage to Peter Cruddas.

“It’s never been more clear: there is one rule for the Conservatives and their chums, another for the rest of the country.”