[Abernathy]

Every time you look round, there seems to be a Tory MP or former Tory MP who is going by the styling “Sir” Herbert Fuckgusset, or “Dame” Fanny Turdgrubber. The latest one, which has prompted this little griping topic, is a character who now apparently must be referred to as “Sir” Alec Shelbrooke, the Tory MP for Wetherby & Easingwold, appearing on today’s The Daily Politics. A thick set, jowly bloke with a ridiculous bouffant hairstyle, he is notable for, as far as I can tell, absolutely fuck all.

Johnson and Truss in particular seem to have been handing out these baubles like fucking sweeties to anybody and everybody in their tribe. They’e everywhere. Nutjobs like Andrea Jenkyns are “Dames”, and now she’s off to the Reflux party.

[mattomac]

They are the perfect example of why we should get rid of them.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Tories gave 10 times more knighthoods to MPs than Labour in 14 year rule
EXCLUSIVEi has analysed the knighthoods and damehoods awarded to serving MPs, from when Tony Blair came to power in 1997 to the present day

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/tory- ... BkjMePGneC

[Andy McDandy]

It seemed at one point to be a sort of game of one-upmanship within the party cretinue*. If the guy creeping up to Gove got an OBE, then one sliming behind Cameron would get a K.

*I like that. I'll use it again, I think.

[Youngian]

At least it devalues the worth of gongs when any backbench chimp in a dunces cap can have one.

[Abernathy]

I see that Tory commentators in the press have been performatively getting their knickers in an almighty twist about the Mayor of London’s impending knighthood.

Hypocrisy ?

[Andy McDandy]

Since Thatcher, no outgoing PM has accepted a gong, save Blair and Cameron taking knighthoods. The days of Lord Avon or Earl of Stockton are apparently gone.

That said, I was half expecting Johnson to claim Duke of fucking London.

[Abernathy]

I thought John Major got a K ?

[Oboogie]

I thought John Major got a K ?

He did. So did Wilson, Heath, MacMillian, Atlee and Churchill. Then there's Dame Margaret Thatcher. That's from memory, but I expect there's more.

[Youngian]

MacMillan only accepted a peerage very late in life when he was frail. Made a notable speech dissing Thatcher's economic policies and then pegged it.
Michael Foot never accepted any gongs, Labour politicians accepting them just look a bit silly (peerages aside as the Lords is a job). Although it did Sir Keir no harm as he was aspiring to lead and wanted some gravitas with swing voters. Like ambitious Democrats serving a stint in the military.

[Oboogie]

Sorry, I thought we were talking about Knighthoods.

NB Keir Starmer has never accepted a peerage.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Keir Starmer was knighted in 2014 after his stint as DPP for services to law and criminal justice.
He became a MP in 2015, so it seems a stretch that he took a K to help his (2020) leadership bid.

[davidjay]

I thought John Major got a K ?

He did. So did Wilson, Heath, MacMillian, Atlee and Churchill. Then there's Dame Margaret Thatcher. That's from memory, but I expect there's more.

Didn't the Evil Witch get a seat in the Lords?

[Youngian]

Keir Starmer was knighted in 2014 after his stint as DPP for services to law and criminal justice.
He became a MP in 2015, so it seems a stretch that he took a K to help his (2020) leadership bid.

Is this a British thing that it’s a slur to suggest someone plans their ambitions over a long period? As if it’s some kind of sinister Machiavellian trait. In the US, as we know from the movies, it’s baked in that the DA wants a shot as mayor or governor. And Keir’s not from the gentlemen amateur Bullingdon Club where you can pull a few strings if you think you’d be jolly good at running the country.

[davidjay]

Keir Starmer was knighted in 2014 after his stint as DPP for services to law and criminal justice.
He became a MP in 2015, so it seems a stretch that he took a K to help his (2020) leadership bid.

Is this a British thing that it’s a slur to suggest someone plans their ambitions over a long period? As if it’s some kind of sinister Machiavellian trait. In the US, as we know from the movies, it’s baked in that the DA wants a shot as mayor or governor. And Keir’s not from the gentlemen amateur Bullingdon Club where you can pull a few strings if you think you’d be jolly good at running the country.

It's all part of the idea that public service is some norm of charity work, mixed with our dislike of success.

[Abernathy]

For FUCK’s sake. They’re handing out peerages for being venal, useless cunts now.

https://www.ft.com/content/b5a19dab-be ... TU7X5-tsWQ

[Philip Marlow]

Arise Lord Toadmeister of Eugenics.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Kemi's given up on government. She's running a good campaign for editor of The Spectator though.

Also Nigel Biggar.

[Tubby Isaacs]

For FUCK’s sake. They’re handing out peerages for being venal, useless cunts now.

https://www.ft.com/content/b5a19dab-be ... TU7X5-tsWQ

Ex-Ministers, with constituencies outside London. By Kemi standards, that's good.

[satnav]

Lord Young of Bell End?