Some four and half years ago I wrote to Liberal Democrat Voice about the abuse of the honours system. I wanted Tim Farron to take a moral lead, abjure hierarchical honours and not nominate anyone for more than a BEM. My article The political honours system is sick, possibly fatally was published and drew a little interest but quickly dropped off the radar.
The time has come to revive the issue. Earlier this week the Times published a report that civil servants are actually coaching companies like Serco on the most effective way to obtain honours such as MBEs for their staff. What kind of an honours list this will produce later in the year does, to my mind, not bear thinking about.
Is this who we should really be honouring in this horrendous year? Surely the only appropriate use of the system is to devote it entirely to the front line workers and volunteers who have kept the country safe and maintained as much normality for the rest of us as possible. NHS staff, care home workers, the emergency services, teachers, shop workers, local authority and public transport employees and volunteers should be the people honoured in 2021. While there are perhaps groups I have missed off my list, no politicians, chief executives, senior civil servants, senior managers or contractors who will already be rewarded through their pay packets, should receive honours.
That is not to diminish the efforts of those who may have worked hard but it is quite simply the people who have risked their lives for us on a daily basis, often on comparatively low salaries, who most deserve our country’s thanks. It is unlikely that includes the employees of Serco and Deloittes. Will the Conservatives do this? Not only will they not, but it sounds from the Times report that they propose to do the very opposite.
Of course another great way – in part – would be for the Government to improve its offer to the NHS, but this proposal at least they cannot say is unaffordable.
Surely the time finally has come for the Liberal Democrats to stand apart from the herd, shun the current broken, hierarchical system and call on Government to honour only those in 2020/21 who have been on the front line. Okay, I’m not holding my breath, but it would be nice to be surprised.
* Sandra is a member of Twickenham Liberal Democrats. She has worked for several MPs and is a former councillor.
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8 Comments
Forget the relatively minor issue of honours lists – it would be far more impressive if the Liberal Democrats followed the example of the SNP and refused to nominate anyone or to accept seats in the unelected House of Lords.
The Lords play an important role in scrutinising and amending legislation – having Lib Dem peers able to do that is more important than making a symbolic point. I wish we’d do more to try and reform the Lords though (personally, I’m not convinced the solution is an elected chamber – or at least not a fully elected one). I do think that some of our peers are quite comfortable with the status quo.
On the honours list. It is a joke, but it’s hard to make a case against it when our very own leader was knighted simply for doing his job.
We have led the field in trying to reform the House of Lords. Without the collusion of Cameron appeasing Tory rebels and the Labour front bench in the Commons the Lords would now be an 80% elected Chamber.
I take your broader point but all you have ended up doing is provide a list of people you would like to see rewarded with honours for doing their job.
But in the meantime the Liberal Democrat peers are by some distance the most cohesive force in the Lords, leading the challenges to this dismal government and their harmful legislation in so many areas.
Why should senior and not so senior civil servants seem automatically to receive knighthoods and/or peerages when they retire? Another case of ‘failing up’?
Agree with John Peters. Scrap the whole system. Let virtue be it’s own reward.
Recognising those who go beyond what can be expected is to be applauded. The issue is if this gives them the right to sit in the HOL. These are different issues and need to be treated so. Independence from politics is vital for both so these are seen as national not political appointments. Possibly there is a heightened role for the monarchy here.