New Year's Honours 2016

[Beef Oven!]

I think they clear that before they make the public offer. He'd have to give it back later

The whole charade has now become so arbitrary it should be scrapped.

At least wait a bit, then pull up the ladder!

[Stanfordian]

The usual mixture of cronyism, notably Lynton Crosby, and civil servants doing their jobs! I'd do away with these awards toot sweet!

[cloughie]

There's a row brewing with the Tory recipients!

Appropriate elevation would be the Tower!

[cloughie]

The usual mixture of cronyism, notably Lynton Crosby, and civil servants going their jobs! I'd do away with these awards toot sweet!

The tower?

[Beef Oven!]

The tower?

A flower?

[MrGongGong]

The tower?

Pigsty

[mangerton]

I can lend you one

A very kind thought, thank you. I might just take you up on that.

[Serial_Apologist]

After all these years of bad publicity regarding politically-inspired 'honours' one would think our political leaders would have taken some note.

Not a bit of it! Either they are completely divorced from the people they purport to represent, incredibly arrogant, or simply mentally-challenged.

I suspect it's a potent mixture of all three.

Frightening.

It's not a question of all three, but of a ruling class looking after its own yet again. Doubtless we'll presently have ahinton on here proclaiming that the ruling class doesn't exist. One imagines that he would walk straight into a ten-foot thick wall rather than acknowledge its existence, because it is the very fact that they are able to get away with this kind of croneyism at the same time as protecting their own privileges while offloading the problems they create by their disproportionate-sized stake in all our economic fortunes onto everyone not themselves, while failing to sort out basic needs such as secure housing, jobs and safeguarded natural resources while getting away with it, that makes them the ruling class: a fact they hide in their second and third mansions behind company logos, aided by a compliant mass media.

[Beef Oven!]

It's not a question of all three, but of a ruling class looking after its own yet again. Doubtless we'll presently have ahinton on here proclaiming that the ruling class doesn't exist. One imagines that he would walk straight into a ten-foot thick wall rather than acknowledge its existence, because it is the very fact that they are able to get away with this kind of croneyism at the same time as protecting their own privileges while offloading the problems they create by their disproportionate-sized stake in all our economic fortunes onto everyone not themselves, while failing to sort out basic needs such as secure housing, jobs and safeguarded natural resources while getting away with it, that makes them the ruling class: a fact they hide in their second and third mansions behind company logos, aided by a compliant mass media.

That's shocking. What a horrible world we live in. I'm off to storm the winter palace. Anyone coming?

[Serial_Apologist]

That's shocking. What a horrible world we live in. I'm off to storm the winter palace. Anyone coming?

That's been tried already...

[Beef Oven!]

That's been tried already...

Ok, that just leaves the parliamentary democracy route. I thought revolution was supposed to be fun.

[Frances_iom]

The usual mixture of cronyism, notably Lynton Crosby,t!

but surely his award is for the preservation of Australian lizards as well as to bringing some colour into smoker's lives (and it seems the beleagued dog-whistle industry).

[Serial_Apologist]

Ok, that just leaves the parliamentary democracy route.

- + a bit of outside nudging.

I thought revolution was supposed to be fun.

That's the Pentecostal version you're thinking of there.

[P. G. Tipps]

It's not a question of all three, but of a ruling class looking after its own yet again. Doubtless we'll presently have ahinton on here proclaiming that the ruling class doesn't exist. One imagines that he would walk straight into a ten-foot thick wall rather than acknowledge its existence, because it is the very fact that they are able to get away with this kind of croneyism at the same time as protecting their own privileges while offloading the problems they create by their disproportionate-sized stake in all our economic fortunes onto everyone not themselves, while failing to sort out basic needs such as secure housing, jobs and safeguarded natural resources while getting away with it, that makes them the ruling class: a fact they hide in their second and third mansions behind company logos, aided by a compliant mass media.

In a democracy there's only one real 'ruling class' and that's the voters!

Our politicians are there to SERVE not to rule. In fact, Cameron keeps using the word 'serve' when he lectures the country on his virtual daily TV slot.

French Frank is correct. The honours system has long lost its intrinsic purpose. It is no longer just a 'joke' but a shabby, corrupt and sometimes even offensive charade.

Certainly, such awards should be taken out of the hands of politicians. They simply cannot be trusted.

[Stanfordian]

In a democracy there's only one real 'ruling class' and that's the voters!

Our politicians are there to SERVE not to rule. In fact, Cameron keeps using the word 'serve' when he lectures the country on his virtual daily TV slot.

French Frank is correct. The honours system has long lost its intrinsic purpose. It is no longer just a 'joke' but a shabby, corrupt and sometimes even offensive charade.

Certainly, such awards certainly should be taken out of the hands of politicians. They simply cannot be trusted.

Hiya P.G. Tipps,

Well said, Sir!

At this very moment on Radio 4 some spokesman is strenuously is trying strenuously to justify the honours system.