New Year's Honours Lists

Are here: https://www.gov.uk/government/public...urs-lists-2014

Not many well known figures this year. I think Andy Murray has been overlooked to be honest. He might have been expected to wait until the end of his career but with Sir Bradley Wiggins getting one for winning the Tour de France then winning the US Open, a Gold Medal and Wimbledon should be enough as well.

I am also beginning to think Stephen Fry has turned down all honours since he has never been given one.

lot of tory donors and friends of DC got them also

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by tizmeinnit

lot of tory donors and friends of DC got them also

The same way a lot of friends of Blair and Brown and Labour donors did when they were in power.

Give it a rest, and take some time to smell what you're shovelling.

Originally Posted by Pierre

The same way a lot of friends of Blair and Brown and Labour donors did when they were in power.

Give it a rest, and take some time to smell what you're shovelling.

Which at the time people also commented upon.

That said I don't know how we know that there are a lot of Conservative donors on the list, it's only just come out.

Moving slightly off-topic however I find it interesting that most of the former Conservative Prime Minsters since WW2 have a Knighthood and none of the Labour ones do.

Since Sir Winston Churchill (who we'll take as a given and just count after) there have been 5 Tory PMs who've received a Knighthood (Eden, Douglas-Home, Heath, Thatcher and Major) out of 7 Conservative PMs with one of them currently serving (Cameron) and only Macmillan missing out from those who've finished their terms. No Labour Prime Minster (out of 6) has received one.

Not saying anything, I have no idea when or why they were knighted after all, I just find it a interesting quirk. My main theory is that Labour, especially Old Labour, would have been less likely to accept knighthoods from the Queen.....

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Damien

Moving slightly off-topic however I find it interesting that most of the former Conservative Prime Minsters since WW2 have a Knighthood and none of the Labour ones do.

The queen's obviously a fan of the nasty party.

Originally Posted by Gary L

The queen's obviously a fan of the nasty party.

Queen doesn't decide. Also I think it's more a case that the Labour Party weren't a big fan of the Monarchy.

Originally Posted by Damien

Which at the time people also commented upon.

That said I don't know how we know that there are a lot of Conservative donors on the list, it's only just come out.

Moving slightly off-topic however I find it interesting that most of the former Conservative Prime Minsters since WW2 have a Knighthood and none of the Labour ones do.

Since Sir Winston Churchill (who we'll take as a given and just count after) there have been 5 Tory PMs who've received a Knighthood (Eden, Douglas-Home, Heath, Thatcher and Major) out of 7 Conservative PMs with one of them currently serving (Cameron) and only Macmillan missing out from those who've finished their terms. No Labour Prime Minster (out of 6) has received one.

Not saying anything, I have no idea when or why they were knighted after all, I just find it a interesting quirk. My main theory is that Labour, especially Old Labour, would have been less likely to accept knighthoods from the Queen.....

Clement Atlee became Earl Atlee, Jim Callaghan became Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, and Harold Wilson became Baron Wilson of Reivaulx.

[TheDaddy]

Anyone give a toss about this or any other years list, it means very little to the ordinary man on the street.

[Dave42]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

Anyone give a toss about this or any other years list, it means very little to the ordinary man on the street.

hear hear

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

Anyone give a toss about this or any other years list, it means very little to the ordinary man on the street.

From the BBC website.

Some 1,195 people have received an award and in total, 74% of awards in the New Year's Honours List are for people who are actively engaged in charitable or voluntary work within their local community.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25550751

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Hugh

From the BBC website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25550751

Hugh, how many of them got the top awards, you know the ones you can make a few quid from by lending your name to stuff, first of all they tried to fool us by allowing actors and sports persons on to the list and then by allowing the little people on in a minor capacity but I don't think we're fooled and this outdated way of rewarding friends and cronies is almost universally seen for what it is.

I don't disagree with you re the 'top awards', but 74% went to people who are making a difference to 'people in the street'.

[Mr Angry]

Colour me skeptical but it seems like a "nod and a wink" to the charity & voluntary sector to try to keep them on message - as such.

[Pierre]

The honours list is outdated and should be scrapped.

[denphone]

Personally we need a more meritocratic system where honours are given out on the basis of individual ability or achievement and not on the same predictable well we are in power so we will hand out a few to those who serve us loyally.