Honour and offer
The Great British Members of Parliament are whinging again. This time it's that too many honours go to the elite few—businessmen, politicians, and celebrities—for just doing the day job.
Too many civil servants, politicians and celebrities are receiving honours, a report by a group of MPs has said. The Public Administration Select Committee called for a rise in honours for volunteers in the local community.
In its defence, the government denied the accusations most robustly, and with figures to back their claims.
The Cabinet Office denied honours are dominated by politicians and celebrities, with 72% of the awards in the last honours list going to people who were actively involved in charitable or voluntary work. "Honours are awarded on merit to those who make outstanding contributions and not for simply doing the day job," a spokesman said.
What it tactfully overlooked, at least in the BBC's report, was the quality or seniority of the honours dished out. For every captain of industry awarded a life peerage, or benighted political crony or actor, there are literally hundreds of normal folk cleaning toilets with a spanking MBE to their name.
MBE, that is the one they give to cleaners and crossing guards, isn't it?
Still, I think the system works perfectly well. And my mate, David Cameron, seems to agree. Don't worry Dave, the photos are in safe hands! And I assume that we can consider the peerage to be in the bag
, so to speak. (wink)