The "political honours system", as exemplified by Theresa May`s latest offering, and as your editorial correctly states, is little more than "corrupt patronage", offering Johnson a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate his "one-nation" credentials (Boris Johnson could make Britain fairer by slashing his powers of patronage,30/12/19). Although the 2004 report by the select committee on the honours system includes many excellent ideas like "radical simplification" and "clearer criteria", to which now must surely be added one which precludes anyone partaking in any tax avoidance schemes from receiving any awards, it does not go far enough.
With very highly paid celebrities and presenters being awarded honours for their "services to" entertainment, sport and such like, a fairer system could offer a public service award. Anyone, for example, who has worked in public service for perhaps 35 years could receive an honour, and be allowed to place the post-nominal initials, PSA, after their names. This could include everyone from MPs to nurses and teachers.
Faiza Shaheen has every right to be angry about there being so many "flagrant injustices", like the awarding of a knighthood to the man responsible in part for reforms which the UN has deemed a "violation of human rights" (Arise Sir Iain, your welfare reforms have shamed Britain, 30/12/19). Replacing knighthoods with PSAs seems sensible "one-nation" politics to me. Time for Johnson to put his money where his mouth is!
Yet another example demonstrating the unsuitability of Theresa May for the top position in government.(Rocketman Elton propelled into orbit where few have gone before, 28/12/19). It`s all very well giving knighthoods to unpopular politicians like "the primary architect of the cruel universal credit system", but surely she should have learned that it is the duty of outgoing prime ministers to "draw up and approve" an honours list which also includes well known tax avoiders? It is, indeed, as the head of British motor racing feared, a "major oversight" for Lewis Hamilton to have been overlooked (Arise Sir Lewis Hamilton? Head of Motorsport UK calls for knighthood,21/12/19), He has all the necessary requirements, skill, success, earnings of many millions, and lives abroad for tax reasons. Let`s hope Cummings has the sense to advise Johnson to do the right thing next time!
Yet another example demonstrating the unsuitability of Theresa May for the top position in government.(Rocketman Elton propelled into orbit where few have gone before, 28/12/19). It`s all very well giving knighthoods to unpopular politicians like "the primary architect of the cruel universal credit system", but surely she should have learned that it is the duty of outgoing prime ministers to "draw up and approve" an honours list which also includes well known tax avoiders? It is, indeed, as the head of British motor racing feared, a "major oversight" for Lewis Hamilton to have been overlooked (Arise Sir Lewis Hamilton? Head of Motorsport UK calls for knighthood,21/12/19), He has all the necessary requirements, skill, success, earnings of many millions, and lives abroad for tax reasons. Let`s hope Cummings has the sense to advise Johnson to do the right thing next time!
Apparently, the head of British motor racing`s governing body thinks it would be a "major oversight" if Lewis Hamilton "is not recognised with a knighthood" in the forthcoming honours list, but isn`t it time that payment of tax began to play a role in the granting of the highest honours this country bestows (Arise, Sir Lewis Hamilton? Head of Motorsport UK calls for knighthood, 21/12/19)? When someone, regardless of skills, attributes or success, makes the decision to live elsewhere for tax reasons, he or she should immediately be barred from any of the country`s major awards. For far too long, top honours have been given to celebrities, sports stars and businessmen whose main concern has been wealth aggrandisement, rather than paying towards the services which enabled them to take advantage of the opportunities afforded them..
Monaco resident, Lewis Hamilton, so "proud to be a Brit" we are told, yet, according to the Panama Papers, used an Isle of Man scheme to buy his £16.5m private plane in order to avoid paying VAT (Passionate fan Hamilton looks to England for his inspiration, 22/06/18). This so-called "role model for underprivileged children" opted to take a "two-day break" in Greece rather than attend Formula One`s London parade two years ago, thereby disappointing thousands of his fans (Lewis Hamilton unrepentant for missing Formula 1 event days before home Grand Prix at Silverstone, 13/07/17).
Allowing tax avoider Philip Green to retain his knighthood was bad enough; giving one to Hamilton would be akin to giving tax avoidance the chequered flag. Sadly, with this government, "Sir Lewis" looks a racing certainty!
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