The Queen's Royal Gravy Train

Dear old Parky gets a knighthood for being a professional Yorkshireman and Kylie gets an OBE for errrr dancing is it? Who knows, maybe for being jolly brave. Brian Ashton gets an MBE for being ignored by his squad after a disasterous start to the Rugby World Cup.

These are some of the dead beats that get an honour in the the Queen's honours list.

But you have to wonder about some of the knighthoods. How about Alderman John Boothman Stutthard getting a knighthood, who he? Oh an ex-mayor of the City of London, oh right, you just keep riding that gravy train and you'll get a knighthood.

Stuart Rose gets a knighthood for heading up dreary clothes shop M&S. Well done Stuart, sorry Sir Stuart.

And who the euphemism is James Meyer Sassoon who picks up a knighthood for his services
"to the Finance Industry and to public service. " Mmmmmmm sounds worthy, you trying googling him and there is nothing on Google. Who he? Another mandarin picking up the obligatory K? Why? Careful don't get the gravy on your Certificate of Knighthood Sir James.

A laughable knighthood is the one given to Ian Gerald McAllister, CBE already you note. He's head of Network Rail. So he gets a K for his services to transport. Really! Let's put that to a vote on a crowded commuter train or on those trains delayed by "maintenance work" evry weekend and during Bank Holidays. Note that was services to transport, so that presumably must be getting people off the train and into their cars.

Sorry you don't get a K. And give that CBE back while you're here.

Aren't we tired of top Civil Servants getting obligatory honours? Why the knobs at the top? Why not some of the people at the bottom who keep the whole thing going?

So Nigel Hamilton, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service and William Alexander Jeffrey,
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, you can give back those Knight Commander of the Baths medals. Surely it is sufficient honour that you have an indexed pension and quite a good one at that.

Then there are just the mates thing going on apparently, such as Samuel Thomas Kelly, lately Prime Minister's Official Spokesman, Prime Minister's Office. An honour for spinning?

And it goes on-and-on. Obviously there are lots of good, worthy people there in the list. But do we have to have all the establishment, or the official classes as Martin Bell calls them, sticking their noses in the trough and snagging all the best bits? But hey that's what it's for, all round back-slappery for the pigs.