Geoffrey Boycott should be stripped of his knighthood as the honour is a “insult to victims and survivors of domestic violence”, Labour has said.
The former England cricketer was revealed on Tuesday to have been handed the honour by Theresa May on her way out of No.10.
Boycott, who was convicted in France in 1998 of beating his then girlfriend in a Riviera hotel, this morning said he “couldn’t give a toss” about criticism.
Dawn Butler, Labour’s shadow minister for women and equalities, said: “Celebrating a man convicted of assaulting his partner by giving him a knighthood is an insult to victims and survivors of domestic violence.
“Honouring a perpetrator of domestic violence just because he is the former prime minister’s favourite sportsman shows how out of touch and nepotistic the honours list is.
“Boris Johnson should rescind his knighthood today. The whole honours system needs radically overhauling, alongside peerages, so that our political system works for the many, not the few.”
Asked if Boris Johnson was comfortable with Boycott’s honour, a spokesperson for the prime minister said: ”[The list] is from the last prime minister. It’s a long standing convention both that individuals can be nominated for a honour in recognition of their political and public service.
“And that outgoing prime ministers can draw up a resignation or dissolution list. It’s customary for the new prime minster to forward the outgoing prime minister’s list, without amendment, to the queen for her approval.”
The co-acting chief executive of Women’s Aid, Adina Claire, said the award was “very disappointing”.
Boycott, 78, told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme presenter Martha Kearney: “I don’t care a toss about her, love.
“It’s 25 years ago. So you can take your political nature and do whatever you want with it.
“You want to talk to me about my knighthood, it’s very nice of you to have me. But I couldn’t give a toss.”
He was commenting after Claire said: “Celebrating a man who was convicted for assaulting his partner sends a dangerous message – that domestic abuse is not taken seriously as a crime.
“With increasing awareness of domestic abuse, and a Domestic Abuse Bill ready to be taken forward by government, it is extremely disappointing that a knighthood has been recommended for Geoffrey Boycott, who is a convicted perpetrator of domestic abuse.”