New Years Honours

Outdated, out moded system of "attaboys".

When we married in 1970 we lived next to where my hubby was a farm worker. He has always kept pigs and we fenced off a piece of ground so we could keep some. The one sow was very friendly and so we called her TWIGGY. I wouldn't let him sell her like all the others.

I was being sarcastic Hannah!

NfkDumpling, "poor" David Beckham scuppered his chances of ever getting a knighthood when he complained on Twitter in the nastiest language that he'd been passed over again, even bitching about Katherine Jenkins who had been honoured.
He has an MBE or one of those already.

If we are going to give honours for services to industry then Twiggy is as deserving as anyone else. When we were a manufacturing nation, fashion was a large part of our economy, providing very many decent jobs, particularly for women. Twiggy is a symbol of the time when we led the world in fashion and design, and of a time when an ordinary girl like her could rise to the top of her profession. And yes, modelling is a profession as any fashion designer could tell you.

Inishowen I dont understand why ANYONE should get a gong for doing the job they are/were paid to do.Surely the pay is the reward ?If you dont like the pay or the work ...change it !

the whole system is a joke ...just like the UK ..the world is laughing its socks off at us.A government who BUYS support !

Actually I think my husband deserves an honour. He has been teaching pilots to fly for 30 years. Often when we are on a holiday flight he will mention that he taught the pilot. I guess I'm just saying, there are many ordinary, hard working people who won't be honoured.

Civil Service Honours are different to the ones awarded to members of the public & celebrities. I worked for HMRC when it was the Inland Revenue, a Chairman was appointed for a few years & ended up with his "Award", cynical but true, we "plebs" knew when he was appointed it was only a matter of time. I heard yesterday of a local couple who have been Honoured for services to the Community.

No, not service to the fashion industry - Lesley Hornby (Twiggy) has done soooo much in her lifetime for charity

I believe Twiggy does charity work
I think they are a harmless way of rewarding people for their good works

There are many many people who do such good for others and go unrecognised. They are most deserving, I feel.

I'm rather more impressed with the "celebrities" who, for various reasons, refused to accept their gongs. David Bowie, Alan Bennett et al.....

Bigred18 Becks missed out because of his dodgy tax arrangements! It was in the paper this morning as he and others were involved in the tax avoidance scam of a few years ago - hence no Sir Becks, or Sir Gary of Take That!!

My old boss was promoted from OBE to CBE for his many selfless decades of service to young people.

Good luck to him.

I am pleased Doddie Weir was awarded OBE be has used his illness to raise awareness and do so much good

The 70 percent was mentioned on the BBC news website on my mobile phone this morning. It also said that women receive 47 percent of honours.
I just had another look and it's still there. Together with lots of other details and statistics.

I find the whole system a ridiculous anachronism that allows powerful people to reimburse, or buy, favours. The ‘lower’ honours are simply a means to make it more acceptable to the plebs! It irritates the hell out of me!

hentha interesting statistic, please could you say where it came from? It surprises me because when I looked at the list it looked like a lot of civil servants.

I suppose the ubiquitous "lollipop woman/man" will have been lobbed an MBE in this annual farce just to demonstrate that 'ordinary people' don't go unnoticed......

70 percent of the honours go to people who do good in the community, so much deserved. But I don't knock all the celebs who get them as many of them do good works for various charities.
I'm particularly pleased about Chris Packham as he has done so much for conservation, and raising awareness of what is happening regards endangered species, danger to the planet etc.

What difference in a crossing patrol person and Michael Palin ? Both paid for their work. I am not supporting Palin’s award but crossing patrol workers are mentioned every year.

Someone giving up their time to help others I do agree with.

And Julia Donaldson has some sort of honour now - I think she is brilliant and deserves it just for the joy she has brought to so many children.

We tried to get an honour for someone who has brought musical joy to so many in our county by founding and running a charity that organises music workshops for disadvantaged people - the joy on the faces of the participants is just wonderful. But no reply.

Twiggy got hers for more than fashion, it included charity. I suspect when celebs get theirs it is often for their charity work which they do by stealth. I know that Cliff Richard and Rod Stewart have both done a lot for charity without publicity.

If we have an honours system I think it should reflect what people have done over and above what they are paid to do. So many of them go to senior civil servants just for reaching high office which seems wrong to me. I like it when I hear that a school crossing patrol person has received something for years of taking care of children or when someone has been awarded an honour for giving up their own time for others.

Chris Packham - CBE. Now that I do agree with.

He's somebody I couldn't stand a few years ago but the documentary about him changed my mind. His services to conservation are needed now more than ever.