Honours system reform urged
Too many honours are awarded to politicians, celebrities and civil servants rather than to people who devote time and effort to their local communities, MPs said today.
'Lack of transparency' in honours system
- The committee has expressed concern that the lack of transparency about the way the honours system operated.
- The system had created an impression that honours could be "bought" - undermining credibility of the whole process, MPs have said.
- Despite efforts to change public perceptions, it said there was still a belief that honours were used to thank donors to political parties, or were received "automatically" by senior civil servants.
- There was also evidence that honours were not being awarded evenly across the UK.
- The devolved nations - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - as well as some English regions receiving more than is "proportionate for their population size", MPs have said.
More top news
-
Joe Biden vows to fight racial inequality with economic agenda
The Democratic presidential candidate may also have shown his cards on his choice of running mate.
-
Trump reverts to promoting unproven drug as coronavirus treatment
The US president also shared a post on Twitter accusing Dr Anthony Fauci of misleading the public over hydroxychloroquine.
-
What the papers say – July 29
Fears over an impending second wave of coronavirus dominates Wednesday’s front pages.