New Year’s Honours: Almost 30 Tory Party members or supporters receive awards amid accusations of cronyism
Crosby: Consider it an act of treason to call him ‘Sir’.
If there is to be an honours system in the UK – and This Writer believes there should – then it is clear that it should be independently-adjudicated (although the FCA and IPSA show there would be issues there).
Nominations from political parties would need to be judged on whether they were for real service to the UK, or merely for service to a political organisation.
The row over the honours system being used to reward Conservative Party ‘cronies’ is set to be reignited with the revelation that almost 30 Tory Party members or supporters have received awards.
Publication of the New Year’s Honours List confirms that the Australian political strategist, Lynton Crosby, is to be knighted for services to politics. It follows his short stint working for the Conservative Party earlier this year – for which he was paid £500,000 – during which he successfully directed their General Election strategy, resulting in an unexpected overall majority for David Cameron.
But analysis of the list shows that the future Sir Lynton is just one of many who have been honoured not for what they had done for the country, but for their services to the Conservative Party.
Labour’s shadow home Secretary, Andy Burnham, said: “This outrageous award is the clearest evidence yet that the Tories think they can get away with whatever they like. It is a timely reminder that Labour must make it a New Year’s resolution to stop facing inwards and expose them for what they are.”
The Labour MP Graham Jones warned: “The honours system is supposed to recognise dedicated public service, not simply be a vehicle to reward Tory cronies and donors. David Cameron should take care not to undermine the integrity of the system”.
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Honourable acts should be natural (without stupid titles) and only dishonourable acts should be published.
Makes Tony’s Cronies look pretty unambitious. These tories are a shameless bunch of rotters. Still, if Jimmy Savile could disgrace the honours list, why not Crosby?
Hi Mike I don’t know your Email so I will say it here if you don’t mind?
Thank you for your relentless battle for the truth and hopefully someday those whose who are evil (which is most of the government) will get what they really deserve. It is becoming apparent that given enough rope they will hang themselves.
God bless you and Mrs Mike, I hope this New year brings you both Hope Joy and Happiness!!
Thank you very much.
Perhaps we should have an honours system that, as you suggest, recognises the lives and valuable input of all people. But there are some 65 million! How can we stop it being a system that focusses on a very small minority who are on the tele, play sport or in the newspapers – or give political parties ‘loads-a-money’
I’m open to suggestions.
Expose the B*****ds ! Don’t honour them ! They would scatter like cockroaches when the light gets to show them in all their ILLUMINATION , self serving scum ! Happy New Year to the world, let’s have a big clean out of all our Governments, and cronies, hangers on , Corporate heads, Banksters, secret services and the hidden hands behind them all ! Peoples World Justice Court sounds fair to me ! Love from Australia to all fair and free minded peoples.