Cameron honours list is starting to collapse beneath cronyism claims

Last Updated: August 3, 2016By
Ian Taylor said he requested that his name be taken off the list following ‘seriously inaccurate comments about the company I lead’ [Image: Denis Balibouse/Reuters].

Ian Taylor said he requested that his name be taken off the list following ‘seriously inaccurate comments about the company I lead’ [Image: Denis Balibouse/Reuters].

Who can blame Ian Taylor for wanting to be excluded from an honours list that includes George Osborne’s stylist and Samantha Cameron’s dresser (or is that the other way around)?

The toxicity of Cameron’s choices is growing by the day, with allies of Theresa May now trying to say she would run the system differently – after Downing Street said interfering would set a “bad precedent”.

So, she’d do it differently – but not this time?

When will she, then?

The fact of the matter is that the Tory Chums’ Club has been blown wide open, and anybody named in Cameron’s list now faces serious reputational damage as somebody receiving an honour because they are friends of Tories, rather than due to any achievements for the good of the UK.

In This Writer’s opinion, that is why Mr Taylor has requested the removal of his name – and he would be right to do so.

Let us hope his request triggers a deluge of exits from the list of people who would only accept recognition for the right reasons – leaving only people who don’t mind tarnishing the honour system.

That is exactly the opposite of its purpose, of course – but at least it will be clear for all to see what it has become.

A major Tory donor has requested not to be given a knighthood, amid an intensifying row over David Cameron’s honours list.

Ian Taylor, an oil executive at Vitol, wrote to Theresa May requesting his name be taken off the list, after he was named as a Tory donor and funder of the pro-EU campaign who had been put forward by Cameron for an honour.

In a statement, Taylor said: “In recent days, speculation in the media has suggested that I may be recognised in the forthcoming resignation honours list. This has been accompanied by seriously inaccurate comments about the company I lead. In these circumstances, I think it is right I request that my name does not go forward, if indeed I was being considered for an honour.

“Tonight, I am writing both to the outgoing and the current prime minister requesting that I would not wish to be considered for an honour at this time.”

As the row over Cameron’s decision to reward donors, aides and pro-EU campaigners in his resignation list entered its third day, with no sign of abating, allies of May tried to dissociate her from the controversy by signalling she would do things differently from her predecessor when it comes to handing out honours.

Source: Conservative donor asks to be removed from David Cameron honours list | Politics | The Guardian

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8 Comments

  1. Dez August 3, 2016 at 1:58 pm - Reply

    May had her chance to stamp her personal authority as leader of these crowd of crony backscratchers and actually stand up and be seen as some one who is going to change things for the better. But no she chickened out and immediately blew her Tory cover as yet another clone of the nasty party. They promise things will change but never bother pity that would have been a game changer for improving the Cons PR thankfully she followed the sheep.

  2. Roy Beiley August 3, 2016 at 2:18 pm - Reply

    His “friends” allegedly to receive honors in Cameron’s final act of stupidity must be updating their Xmas card lists as we read. They will be forever known as being on the (Dis) Honours List.

  3. MarkG August 3, 2016 at 2:30 pm - Reply

    Time to get rid of this outdated game of ego top trumps. Give Larry and Palmerston a gong at least they are useful.

  4. Tim August 3, 2016 at 2:47 pm - Reply

    Cronyism? Who could argue that Samantha Cameron’s Stylist didn’t deserve an honour for their personal achievement and untiring service to the nation and its citizens?

  5. shawn August 3, 2016 at 3:27 pm - Reply

    It’s not something I’ve thought a lot about, but perhaps the prime minster could be replaced by a parliamentary committee, working to an agreed set of criteria.

  6. NMac August 3, 2016 at 3:33 pm - Reply

    Interesting that this character doesn’t now wish to be associated with corrupt Cameron and is eager to distance himself from him, but he was willing to donate money to him and his nasty cause when he was in power.

  7. David August 3, 2016 at 7:24 pm - Reply

    This “honours” list tells us as much about Cameron as some of the ne’er-do-wells who end up with a totally undeserved gong.

  8. mrmarcpc August 4, 2016 at 1:22 pm - Reply

    Nothing will happen, they’ll all get their knighthoods and peerages!

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