Cameron's Honours List

[hollyisalovelyname]

I am very disappointed in David Cameron's Honours List.
I felt he bowed out with dignity.
I thought he wouldn't indulge in such cronyism and my opinion of him has dropped dramatically.
Does anybody else feel likewise?
I am not a UK voter so am not au fait with British politics to any great extent.

[TheBathroomSink]

Not really. It is entirely consistent with the resignation honours lists of Major and Thatcher. Blair didn't do one on account of the cash-for-honours scandal. I think anyone who was expecting differently was being a bit optimistic and probably slightly naive.

[hollyisalovelyname]

Thank for the reply.
But his wife's stylist.
That's just awful.
When you think of some of those amazing people who volunteer to help their fellow men/ women/ children/ animals/ earth.
People who go out and help the homeless at night, help run soup kitchens, lifeboat crew, mountain rescue teams.
DC has just made a mockery of so called 'honours'.
Can the Queen just say 'No,this is ridiculous'
???

[TheBathroomSink]

She's not the first assistant to a PM's wife to get an honour, Norma Major's wife did.

These are not the same as the New Year Honours, or the Queen's birthday honours, which are mostly made up on people nominated by their community or for specific achievements in the arts/sports or a long civil service career. Resignation honours are designed for the outgoing PM to reward those who have assisted him/her whilst in office. It would be strange for him to nominate a school crossing assistant he has never met, or a charity fundraiser for a charity he is not involved in. These honours are meant to be political.

[TheBathroomSink]

And, no, the Queen can't just say no.

[hollyisalovelyname]

Thank you Bathroom.

[hollyisalovelyname]

Still an OBE for helping Samantha pick a few nice outfits to wear at official functions when Sam Cam could wear a sack and still look good !!!
Hardly taxing
Isn't Sam Cam's sister Emily, involved in Vogue or some other high end fashion operation. Couldn't she have helped her.

[TheBathroomSink]

Her sister is Deputy editor of British Vogue. Probably a job she's worked rather hard to get, and most likely doesn't leave her bags of time to be at Samantha's beck and call. Mrs Cameron's assistant would also have been responsible for arranging her diary for official functions, so rather more than just picking out a few outfits.

[hollyisalovelyname]

Yes but an Order of the British Emire for arranging her diary / organising her wardrobe. Mind boggling.

[claig]

I think he is miffed that he and his team's arguments were rejected by the people in the Referendum, so it seems as if he doesn't care any more what it looks like as he bows out.

[hollyisalovelyname]

Claig I think you are right, sadly.
I thought he was better than that having seen his farewell speech and the speech

[hollyisalovelyname]

Oops.

[hollyisalovelyname]

Posted too soon. Posting in the car. DH driving ( not the best).
....and the speech after he lost the referendum.

[claig]

Yes, lots of Remainers were rewarded and they lost. I don't know if any Leavers were rewarded for the good work they did in representing the wishes of the people. A lot of people lost their jobs and have had setbacks in their political careers because of Cameron's loss, so I think he is probably upset about it and wanst to reward the people who stuck by him. But, a lot of these honours are really for the whole country, not for any political faction.

[Inkanta]

It struck me that Cameron might hold some anger and resentment about how things panned out and he was giving a backhanded swipe.

[Flippertygib]

He's taking the piss isn't he. For fucks sake. Gideon and the rest.

I'm (almost) speechless.

I was never a fan of his but thought he bowed out with grace. He has now ruined his name by this idiotic act.

[claig]

Will Straw as well.

Isabel Oakeshott has just said on the Sky Press Review that Cameron looks like someone who no longer cares about his legacy.

In reality, his legacy is one of failure. He gambled on a Referendum, used fearmongering and Establishment allies etc and still lost and has disappointed a lot of bigwigs who wanted the country to remain in the EU. So he may think what the hell.

[annandale]

It's also true that all these people had to accept the honour - it wasn't forced on them.

I really hope I would have the strength to refuse an honour it would be embarrassing to talk about afterwards - 'oh, the knighthood? Yes, services to business. No, not after the second bankruptcy, it was after the asset-stripping of a national institution'. 'Yes, an OBE. For being a diary secretary. Yes, it was my job. Well, the salary wasn't THAT great' etc.

[Pangurban1]

The honour nominations are not just about the recent referendum. People weren't elected into office based on the recent referendum. It is about nominating someone they personally felt should be rewarded for something. Their prerogative. They won't want their nominees to stand out from the past completely worthy nominees.

See Steve Hilton saying honours system not good. Sour grapes, Steve? Never mind, I'm sure all things look good at your end from your California pad. Wife senior executive in Google. The Hawk in hippy clothing. Felt 'reforms' of the NHS didn't go far enough. Things that won't impact him at all. Only flew over to campaign. Always strikes me as such a phoney dude. No different than any other rabid Thatcherite. Clothing doesn't maketh the man!

Interesting clip of Boris Johnson 'guaranteeing' farmers they would get as much if not more outside of the EU. Is there a timeframe on that? Now, if he did make that happen, even I would think he deserved an honour. Sort it out with Andrea, if you can. Not indirectly either.

[Pangurban1]

Sorry, being the community minded person he is, Hilton was also carpetbagging, flogging his book.

[Pangurban1]

Apologies, Rachel Whetsone now a senior vice president at Uber. Apparently, poached former Google people to replace staff she gutted from Uber. Restructuring. PR like Hilton.

[hollyisalovelyname]

Pangurban are you from Ireland?

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Our brave men and women who are serving their country deserve honours.
Not a gaggle of public school boy/girl toffs.
Born with diamonte spoons, (I don't know about Silver spoons) in their mouths
WTF has Osbourne done that's heroic.
The only thing he's done is take money off already struggling people with daft evil smirk on his face.

[Pangurban1]

The dissolution honours are not really designed to acknowledge their recipients as heroes.

"The Dissolution Honours List, lists those individuals receiving Honours from the Monarch at a time following the Dissolution of the United Kingdom Parliament (or in this case a resigning PM). It is one of several types of Honours List marking various occasions. Typically, the list will include retiring MPs who are customarily made Life Peers. The list may also include knighthoods for others who have served in the Parliament, including those who may not want peerages. Appointments to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom are also made."

Looking at Callaghan's, Thatcher's and Major's lists: Cameron's is not unusual.

Amongst the usual MP's and personal assistants, all include people like chefs, cleaners, telephonists, drivers, typists, messengers, PM's personal doctor, dressers (fashion director of Acquascutum for Maggie), housekeepers. The editor and assistant editor recipients are interesting. PR rewarded. Policy directors, too. The people on these previous PM's lists are not especially any more heroic than Osborne.

Maybe there is a special vitriol about DC's very usual dissolution honours nominations in the Daily Mail as Dacre has been passed over.

Might be, Holly.

Disclaimer: I have no particular regard for any of the nominees, PM's or the honours themselves. It is just that there is nothing more unusual about these nominations when you compare them against previous ones.

Regarding the dissolution honours practice itself and what it honours as bunkum is a different issue.

[Pangurban1]

More accurately resignation honours in DC's case. Same difference.
Haven't looked at Gordon Browns.