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An official document leaked to the Sunday Times newspaper has brought to light the names of 300 people who have rejected an award under Britain's feudal honours system. The names include Graham Greene, David Hockney, John le Carré, Robert Graves, Francis Bacon, Aldous Huxley, Evelyn Waugh, J B Priestley, Anthony Powell, Roald Dahl, Philip Larkin, Trevor Howard, Alastair Sim, LS Lowry, Albert Finney, David Bowie, J G Ballard, Honor Blackman and George Melly. Artist Lowry seems to have rejected five awards, including a knighthood. The actor Albert Finney turned down both a knighthood and a CBE.

Novelist J G Ballard described the honours system to the Sunday Times as a "preposterous charade . . . . It makes us look a laughing stock and encourages deference to the crown," he added.

This is the first time that the extent of opposition to the honours system, a mainstay of Britain's class society, has been revealed. Official secrecy has helped bolster the establishment view that the system is consistent with a democratic society. According to the Sunday Times those who reject an honour are "sworn to secrecy." It did not explain how that was possible, however.

09:16 AM | | (0) | (0)

Outgoing labour party general secretary David Triesman has been made a legislator-for-life in the House of Lords on the recommendation of prime minister Tony Blair. Mr. Triesman refused to comment to the press on whether the seat in parliament was a part of a compensation package for the loss of his job. It has also been reported in the press that labour candidate for London mayor Nicki Gavron will be rewarded in the same way if she steps down in favour of Ken Livingstone.

The conservative party that for long took advantage of majority support from hereditary legislators in the feudal House of Lords, said that the appointment was another example the prime minister using his privileges to give positions of power to friends and allies. Conservative criticism is likely to be more vociferous when another batch of legislators-for-life are appointed in 2004. It is expected that 20 out of 30 will be labour party supporters. The conservatives are expected to be equally vulnerable, however, because of the expected inclusion in their legislator nominees of three of the biggest financial backers of the party.

Legislators-for-life are not elected, are not accountable to anyone and may not be removed from office.

09:13 AM | | (0) | (0)

New members must not be required to swear an oath of loyalty to Liz Windsor, the matriarch of Britain's Windsor family, The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) has been told. The ruling was issued by the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Commission. Commissioner Jocelyn Scutt said that this was "the first decision of its kind relating to republicanism and anti-discrimination law. It will have implications for all countries associated with a monarch as head of state." The ruling means that republicans must now be allowed to join the RSL without demeaning themselves with an anti-democratic oath.

The RSL is an organisation of former members of the Australian Defence Force with 1500 branches in Australia. Discrimination against republicans is widespread in Britain and other countries that recognise the existence of a so-called royal family, members of which inherit an exclusive right to be head of state. In Britain and Canada foreign born republicans are not allowed to become citizens. British law bans republicans from becoming legislators, police officers and judges.

07:23 PM | | (0) | (0)

Three businessmen who have donated cash to the Conservative Party are likely to be made legislators-for-life, according to a report in the Financial Times. Leonard Sternberg, one of the donors, is expected to make another, seven figure, donation shortly, the newspaper said. Sternberg gave £110,000 to the party last year. If the report is accurate the three will be among a number of legislator nominations that the Conservative Party is entitled to make in the new year. These legislators are not subject to election by the people and may not be removed from the legislature once appointed.

07:14 PM | | (0) | (0)