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Something for this year's Honours List winners to ponder

That I am none too keen on the honours system is a matter of record, and accordingly I take a great deal of pleasure from the refusal of Legions d'Honneur by a pair of French journos:

Françoise Fressoz (head political writer at Le Monde):

"Nothing in my professional work justifies such an honour".

Marie-Eve Malouines (head political writer at France Info):

"I can see nothing in my work which would justify such an honour, and that is why I consider myself obliged to to refuse this prestigious decoration".

As these two honourable ladies were gazetted without prior notification, it is not a case of the two of them trying to have their gateau, eat it and exhibit it at Olympia CakeEx, the way some types in these parts have done.

Hell will freeze over before some of the wretched time servers that fill out the honours list - alongside the usual selection of celebrities named to tickle the fancy of the Plain People of the United Kingdom - would consider such a thing.

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Blogger Old BE said... 8:46 pm

Not many people of integrity left in this formerly great nation :-(  



Anonymous Anonymous said... 11:53 pm

Mr C, as an aficionado of miscellany you may know of an occasion when a UK gong was published in error and subsequently turned down but I certainly don't.

What they do is get the private letter, go to the papers, smile self-righteously and say that they were offered one in confidence but are turning it down because of Iraq/Maggie/The Miners/Trident/the annoyance-du-jour.  



Blogger Croydonian said... 8:51 am

BE - I'd nominate Lord Carrington as the last one living. A mate of mine had a holiday job as a hospital porter and found him the perfect gentleman in person too.

Geoff - what is known as 'doing a Toynbee'.  



Blogger Susie said... 3:18 pm

Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum turned down a knighthood and has never spoken about it which I think is admirable. I have huge respect for the people who turn them down because as much as I like to think I wouldn't accept one-I know my weakness. How nice to get the best table or front row tickets? See http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article5400493.ece

Susie  



Blogger Susie said... 3:26 pm

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article5400493.ece

Sorry, the complete address  



Blogger Croydonian said... 3:32 pm

Susie - Thanks for that. He sounds a thoroughly good egg, doesn't he?  



Blogger Susie said... 4:33 pm

...he does Mr Croydonian-if you read the article in the Times which for some reason won't let me print out the full address-he's turned around the fortunes of the British Museum into one of the most successful museums in the world and is making a good profit to boot!  



Blogger Croydonian said... 9:23 am

Susie - I read the article, for which thanks.  



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