Celebrity honours
It is that time again in the UK, when those people who will receive an honour from the Queen are announced. The list is drawn up by the government of the day and tends to include a fair amount of their supporters. All political parties do this.The list for New Year 2012 is controversial for different reasons.
There are the usual celebrity and sporting honours which include:
Sports
Northern Ireland golfers, Rory McIlroy, CBE, and Darren Clarke, OBE.
Dickie Bird, retired cricket umpire, OBE.
Giles Clarke, chairman of the ECB, cricket, CBE.
Nigel Mansell, former Formula 1 champion, CBE.
Doug Ellis, who ran Aston Villa Football Club during two lengthy spells as chairman, receives a knighthood.
Rugby's Martyn Williams,MBE, and Chris Paterson, MBE.
The sporting honours are believed to be many this year with the 2012 Olympics in mind. Some of the organisers of the Games also received honours.
Celebrity
Actress Helena Bonham-Carter who starred in The King's Speech and the Harry Potter aeries of films.
Veteran comedian Ronnie Corbett, CBE.
TV personality Lorraine Kelly OBE
Australian Clive James, CBE.
Now for the controversial honours
24-year-old Chris Preddie, OBE, is a former gang member. He is related to the young killers of 10-year-old Damiloa Taylor in 2000. Chris has turned his life around and now helps young people in London stay on the straight and narrow. The family of Damiloa have been angered by his New Year honour. As they have said, there are surely more deserving people.
A knighthood was given to Paul Ruddock for services to the arts. On the surface there may seem nothing wrong with that. Dig a little deeper and your view could change. According to the Daily Telegraph, "Mr Ruddock, a hedge fund manager, profited from the collapse of Northern Rock and donated £500,000 to the Conservatives".
The Telegraph goes on to describe the other controversial honour, that of Gerald Ronson. "Mr Ronson, a millionaire property developer, was convicted of theft, conspiracy and accounting fraud following the Guinness scandal in 1990. He served six months of a one-year sentence and has always denied any wrongdoing".
OPINION: Millions of people live in the UK. Many rise above the odds to make a difference for the better. It must be about time that an independent authority decided who should receive honours. Each year the south of England, but in particular Lodon, dominates the honours list. When it is littered with miscreants and former prisoners it has to be wrong. Either that or it becomes a joke. Surely the Queen does not want to become a laughing stock?
Full list here
There are the usual celebrity and sporting honours which include:
Sports
Northern Ireland golfers, Rory McIlroy, CBE, and Darren Clarke, OBE.
Dickie Bird, retired cricket umpire, OBE.
Giles Clarke, chairman of the ECB, cricket, CBE.
Nigel Mansell, former Formula 1 champion, CBE.
Doug Ellis, who ran Aston Villa Football Club during two lengthy spells as chairman, receives a knighthood.
Rugby's Martyn Williams,MBE, and Chris Paterson, MBE.
The sporting honours are believed to be many this year with the 2012 Olympics in mind. Some of the organisers of the Games also received honours.
Celebrity
Actress Helena Bonham-Carter who starred in The King's Speech and the Harry Potter aeries of films.
Veteran comedian Ronnie Corbett, CBE.
TV personality Lorraine Kelly OBE
Australian Clive James, CBE.
Now for the controversial honours
24-year-old Chris Preddie, OBE, is a former gang member. He is related to the young killers of 10-year-old Damiloa Taylor in 2000. Chris has turned his life around and now helps young people in London stay on the straight and narrow. The family of Damiloa have been angered by his New Year honour. As they have said, there are surely more deserving people.
A knighthood was given to Paul Ruddock for services to the arts. On the surface there may seem nothing wrong with that. Dig a little deeper and your view could change. According to the Daily Telegraph, "Mr Ruddock, a hedge fund manager, profited from the collapse of Northern Rock and donated £500,000 to the Conservatives".
The Telegraph goes on to describe the other controversial honour, that of Gerald Ronson. "Mr Ronson, a millionaire property developer, was convicted of theft, conspiracy and accounting fraud following the Guinness scandal in 1990. He served six months of a one-year sentence and has always denied any wrongdoing".
OPINION: Millions of people live in the UK. Many rise above the odds to make a difference for the better. It must be about time that an independent authority decided who should receive honours. Each year the south of England, but in particular Lodon, dominates the honours list. When it is littered with miscreants and former prisoners it has to be wrong. Either that or it becomes a joke. Surely the Queen does not want to become a laughing stock?
Full list here
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