That’s the life peerages. What about the other honours? The knighthoods and orders and stuff? Haven’t those also been severely diluted in the eyes of the public?
Most people don’t really know what all the ancient names mean or where they are in the hierarchy. The lower level honours like OBE and MBE are better known by the general public and they tend to go to people who deserve them because of their years of public service.
The reputation of peers has never been high. In the days before life time peerages were introduced some Prime Ministers would simply sell them. The Prime Minister Lloyd George was famous for this a hundred years ago. He charged £10,000. Not sure how much Boris Johnson charged.
Varies from person to person according to what you know of why they got it and how you value it. It’s not uncommon for someone to make a song and dance about sending back their gong because someone else got it that they disapprove of (e.g , when the Beatles got just about the lowest ranking award available), and it’s understood that some awards go with a particular public service job and eventually “come with the rations” (as long as you don’t make a spectacular mess of it).
But the point is that none of those get you a seat in the legislature, or anything more than a fancy brooch, some extra letters to add to your signature (if you’re pompous enough), and possibly the esteem of your colleagues* and community. For a while.
*Or possibly not. In the Foreign Office and Diplomatic Service, there are awards in the grandly named Order of St Michael and St George, and the letters you can add after your name for the different grades are irreverently known as:
Commander (CMG): Call Me God
Knight Commander (KCMG): Kindly Call Me God
Knight Grand Cross (GCMG): God Calls Me God
Yes, I recall that joke from Yes, Minister.
Most of you just don’t seem to realize Liz is a magician. So:
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Big tax cuts have been announced.
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UK is spending substantially to support Ukraine.
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A significant number of people are still getting Covid or suffering from effects of long Covid causing substantial health and welfare costs.
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A major program to deal with high heating bills is coming.
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The government has borrowed a great deal of money and borrowing costs will substantially increase because of higher interest rates.
Yet:
What other politician could do all of these?
She’s been listening to Vera Lynn
She’s going to bring the Magic Money Tree crashing down if she keeps shaking it that hard.
Well, someone had to post it:
The Scottish National party MP John Nicholson tweeted: “King Charles speaks for us all. ‘You’re back again. Dear, oh dear. Well, anyway….’ At least he won’t have to endure her for long.”
j
I watched the clip. It seemed like gentle ribbing on Charles’s part, not an awkward dig.
Yes, he’s probably referring to the fact that last time she met a monarch, it died.
I think he was remarking on the fact that it was the second time that day that she’d been to see him. She’d also come to the Privy Council meeting a few hours earlier.
Ah.
What a shambles. Even if this report is not accurate, that it is plausible is condemnation enough.
It would appear to be true. KamiKwasi has crashed and burned, and this is clearly a tricky Truss whose support cannot be relied upon.
Under the double-decker bus you go, Kwasi…
NY Times also has it as the lead story on the website right now.
Oh no! THE ANTI-GROWTH IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE CABINET!
Soon the tourist will flock to the weekly changing of the Take-a-Chance-llor.
Hunt is in now. The original rhyming-slang MP is back at the front.
To think that Jeremy Hunt is considered the grown-up in the room…
Somebody should tell Liz Truss that sinking like a lead balloon and leading are not the same at all.
Yes, Sir, I admit it is schadenfreude all the way down.