Knighthoods for Chris Whitty, Patrick Valance and JVT

[LuluBlakey1]

New Year's Honours list- all 3 knighted.
So very deserved. I am delighted for them, especially for Chris Whitty and JVT.

@PartyPrawnRingGames

I wonder who the Queen would really choose if it were only her decision?

Well it's her decision to choose the Garter Knights.

It's usual for ex PMs to become knights of the garter. I don't imagine the Queen had much real choice.

@LuluBlakey1

New Year's Honours list- all 3 knighted. So very deserved. I am delighted for them, especially for Chris Whitty and JVT.

I don’t think they should get one tbh. The pandemic isn’t over and how are they supposed to do their job properly, of providing independent scientific advise, if they’re being softened up now?

Give them one in 2022 instead.

@Itonlytakesonetree

No idea what JVT is, guessing random person. Fucking awful re Tony Blair, the man is scum. Loving the info re Daniel Craig, genius effort.

You have no idea who JVT is?

Westfacing well obviously I do now because a pp kindly told me who he is. But before that, no.

@Choux

I don't begrudge Whitty and JVT their knighthoods at all but it does seem to send out a signal that the pandemic is over. Sportspeople being rewarded for their achievements usually only receive the award at the end of their career. Given we are currently in the highest ever wave of cases with rising hospitalisations the pandemic is not over.

But congrats to them. (Jenny Harries I never warmed to as she always seemed like a Gov mouthpiece so I don't trust her as much)

This is not true. To get an honour you have to still be actively involved in your profession or activity that got you nominated in the first place.

@SoupDragon

Chris Whitty?? Really? I wasn't aware he was a real person given his TV performances in those PSAs

We say this every time the ad comes on 🤣

Truly awful choice to do the PSAs.

He’s the Chief Medical Officer for England. Who would you prefer? One of the cast of Holby City who “looks the part”?

@Vintagevixen

Ugh, not a fan of ridiculous honours lists anyway, but this confirms my feelings.

Knighthoods for fear mongering, graphs of doom and overuling the JCVI .
Cannot stand Whitty or Harries.

I know. Its really appalling. Hopefully now he's got his prize and had his time in the limelight Whitty will shuffle off.

@SoupDragon

Chris Whitty?? Really? I wasn't aware he was a real person given his TV performances in those PSAs

Eh?

He looks like a computer generated person. Or a robot. No facial expression or movement whatsoever beyond his lips moving to speak. Truly awful choice to do the PSAs.

So do you think they should have used an actor rather than someone who has spent years researching and advising on pandemics?

lemon I'd been pondering the Sir Prof / Prof Sir thing too.
Either way it's impressive.

anthony horowitz and vanessa redgrave recognised too

and Adam Peaty

and max whitlock

Pleased for Mel B who also received an MBE. In recognition of the work she does for domestic violence victims.

Chris Whitty is especially deserving because it is so clearly out of his comfort zone to do the public facing role he has taken on. He's had to put up with people (like the delightful posters on this thread) taking the piss out of him constantly and being assulted in public by drunk idiots.

He has also worked hospital shifts throughout the pandemic and I personally trust him in his capacity as CMO. I'd rather hear from him than have some celebrity giving advice because they're better at public speaking.

JVT is also well deserved.

@Choux

I don't begrudge Whitty and JVT their knighthoods at all but it does seem to send out a signal that the pandemic is over. Sportspeople being rewarded for their achievements usually only receive the award at the end of their career. Given we are currently in the highest ever wave of cases with rising hospitalisations the pandemic is not over.

But congrats to them. (Jenny Harries I never warmed to as she always seemed like a Gov mouthpiece so I don't trust her as much)

I agree. Absolutely. Whitty and JVT deserve it for maintaining their credibility throughout. Harries lost any respect I may have had early on in 2020 when she took on the role of Johnson's puppet. Maybe she went back to saying things that made sense, but I confess to no longer listening to her after a while.

I'll never forgive forget Jenny Harries telling the public that masks weren't necessary during the first few months of the pandemic. Despite most other countries advocating their use. So many deaths in the UK...

congrats indeed to chris whitty and jvt
sarah gilbert became a dame in the birthday honours list

Sir Professor Chris Witty 😁😁😁

(Or whichever way its said, that sounds better though)

What a legend.

@Vintagevixen

Ugh, not a fan of ridiculous honours lists anyway, but this confirms my feelings.

Knighthoods for fear mongering, graphs of doom and overuling the JCVI .
Cannot stand Whitty or Harries.

Overruling the JCVI's opinion when the JCVI are thought to be wrong (not all of them being medical doctors) is in the CMO's job description. Thankfully.

I doubt even Chris Whitty would say the JCVI were ‘wrong’

More deciding on different criteria and remit

So do you think they should have used an actor rather than someone who has spent years researching and advising on pandemics?

He’s the Chief Medical Officer for England. Who would you prefer? One of the cast of Holby City who “looks the part”?

No, they should have had someone able to show some kind of empathy for and a connection to the people they are talking to. He is talking to the general population, not a scientific symposium.

@MarshaBradyo

I doubt even Chris Whitty would say the JCVI were ‘wrong’

More deciding on different criteria and remit

Fair enough and probably not. He's too much of a gentleman. Still relieved for our children that his group got to make the final decision.

It's Professor Sir. You can think of Sir as being attached to the first name.