David Cameron’s outgoing honours list has been branded a “joke” by senior Scottish Conservatives.
Party sources at Holyrood mocked the decision to make Mark McIness – the Tories’ chair north of the border – a lord and reward Ramsay Jones, who was a special adviser to the former prime minister, with a CBE.
Mr McInnes, who received a CBE in the New Year’s Honours, said he learned of his peerage on the day Mr Cameron resigned following the EU referendum.
One Tory insider said: “Peerage for Mark McInnes and CBE for former spinner Ramsay Jones? What a joke.
“Mark’s CBE was met with derision, but the couple of folk I spoke to last night were genuinely angry about the peerage.”
Mr McInnes, a councillor in Edinburgh, said he would seek to scrutinise legislation in the Lords using his “Scottish perspective” and experience of working in local government.
Contrary to the feeling from some in the party, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson welcomed his peerage.
She tweeted: “Personally delighted at @Morningsidemark’s elevation to the Lords. The hardest working man I know. Well done, sir.”
Mr Jones was Mr Cameron’s adviser on Scotland during his term in Downing Street and was asked to stay in post by Theresa May.
He declined and has set up a new public affairs body, Gen Comms.
He previously served as the Scottish Conservatives’ head of press but departed for Downing Street following a row over his role during Ms Davidson’s campaign to become party leader in 2011.
Mr Cameron’s former director of strategy, Steve Hilton, criticised his old boss over the list.
Mr Hilton said it was “not ok” for politicians to appoint people to the legislature, and that big donors “shouldn’t have undue influence over political and policy decisions”.
An SNP spokesman said: “When senior Tories and even former Downing Street advisers are outraged by Cameron’s cronies honours list it’s obvious the former prime minister has totally overstepped the mark.
“The backslapping personal patronage really shows the Tories at their absolute worst – and the benefit Theresa May has gained from donors now destined for ennoblement has left her unwilling to intervene.”