I think the point, how did you miss it, is that famous people get a disproportionate amount of honours just because their job makes them famous.

Certain “jobs” give you a higher chance of an award

Certain jobs guarantee it – head of the Civil Service for example – always knighted on retirment

When it comes to handing out gongs and baubles – aren’t the DJ’s, actresses, athletes, and beryl the dinner lady just token gestures to distract everyone from the fact that most go to people who ‘ve written large cheques to whichever party is in power?

That seems to have worked then. Again!

So shut up with your typical stw whinging

I cant and I wont I’m typical !

I don’t suppose the Dark Arch still going in Neath….

happy days

And how long until we get Sir Steve Peat? Might have a long wait if he has to retire first.

Retire or retyre …………….aaaaaahhhhh hahahahahahaha !

God I`m a larfaminitt me !

What tyres does he use anyway !

Frederick Sanger (RIP) turned down his knighthood because he was a humble man and didn’t want to be called ‘Sir’, and he was a guy who won TWO noble prizes. Legend!

Ah the politics of envy so typical of you down trodden impoverished lefties …I bet you live in the North as you seem the bitter type 😉

You have to admit, it is a strange coincidence that Alan Farthing, the Doctor who delivered the heir to the throne was Jill Dando’s fiance at the time of her death.

Was that ever solved? I’ve heard some interesting rumours about Cliff Richard…

monkeyboyjc – Member
The hounors are given by the royal family

No they are given out by politicians now, that’s why the are so much worse than they used to be when they where decided by the Royal Family

Jambalaya, you have spoilt ( 😉 ) my image of the Royals sitting round the Sandringham Xmas table playing, “who deserves a gong this year?” after watching the boss on TV. It would make a great spitting image scene.

Wee Eck must be loving the Murray snub. More fuel to the nationalist fire!!!!

Wee Eck must be loving the Murray snub

Who’s to say Murray didn’t turn something down?

Who’s to say Murray didn’t turn something down?

Reckon he did. If Chris Hoy and Bradley got what they did then he must of been in line for it. He has already got a CBE or something though.

Fair play to him, if he is a Scottish nationalist, with the coming referendum it would seem to be the principled thing to do.

I notice the meedja are making a huge thing of 51% of the honours recipients being female. I have to share their shock and disbelief. It’s almost as if they represented half the countries population, or something bonkers like that!

It’s political correctness gone mad etc etc, and do on and do forth…

It’s political correctness gone mad

Well it is really. Everyone knows blokes are just better at stuff than birds.

Think it’s a load of tosh but if they have to give them to sports people they should wait until the retire. Murry could have 8 years left competing that’s a long time to have commentators referring to him as Sir, would they put it on the score boards for his matches & would the umpire have to start calling him sir? total anachronistic rubbish

Think it’s a load of tosh but if they have to give them to sports people they should wait until the retire. Murry could have 8 years left competing that’s a long time to have commentators referring to him as Sir, would they put it on the score boards for his matches & would the umpire have to start calling him sir? total anachronistic rubbish

Well yeah, either all of that could happen…..

Or he could just choose not to use his formal title “at work” and solve all those problems in one simple press release.

What a joke what about the real heroes like (me for my ranting on this forum) every emergency service crew in the UK etc…

I get paid to do my job so I do my job, I don’t need a few letters on the end my name and I”m not a hero. A thanks is nice when we get them.

Plenty more folk who’s work goes unnoticed, take Scouting for example, the leader I’m deputy for has been giving her time to give kids the opportunity to get out & enjoy the outdoors etc, for over 30 years & there are countless more like her. Amateur sports for example, Sunday league footie right down to kids level, there are folk who’ve been making a difference for decades.

Some of those high profile celebs I can understand, but there seems to be this established default whereby a certain number go to the same group of pampered bloody has-beens. Angela **** Lansbury for Christs sake, what the duck has she ever done other than line her own pocket as an actress.
Sorry, but the whole thing is a bloody joke these days.
And to balance it out, I don’t think Wiggo deserved his. They should have turned in a careers worth of effort at their craft right down to grass roots level.

Pete Tong definitely deserves his, can’t say I’m a big fan of his style of music but he has made a huge contribution to the British music industry for over 20 years.

For those who haven’t bothered to read the story properly:

The award recognises Sir Marcus Setchell’s services to the Royal Household over more than two decades.

As well as attending to Kate’s extreme morning sickness in early 2013, he assisted with the Duchess of Cornwall’s hysterectomy in 2007.

And he helped save the Countess of Wessex and her eldest child.

In 2003, Prince Edward’s wife Sophie was rushed to hospital after complaining of severe internal pains when she was eight months pregnant.

She was dangerously ill from blood loss and needed an emergency Caesarean.

It’s not just for delivering the latest addition to the family, but don’t let the facts get in the way of good moan.

Edit: For the record, I am certainly no Royalist (quite the opposite when it comes to the “extended” Royal family) and I do agree that the awards have become increasingly frivolous over the years.

C’mon Mikey – don’t spoilt the fun 😉

Strip away the easy headlines and it’s hard to see that much difference between the current system and what most people are calling for. How many awards are given each year. How many are in the frivolous camp? How many are the unsung heros? Etc……what’s the fuss, really?

Haven’t read the thread, but do any of you who remember the supposedly militant miners’ leader in the 70s who later accepted a peerage; presumably as a thank you for his duplicity 🙂

and I do agree that the awards have become increasingly frivolous over the years.

What is the base year you are using? 1984? 1964? 1944?

a lad i went to school with got the BEM for services to northern ireland.. he lived in Hereford at the time..