Bernard Jenkin: Give honours to more community heroes, fewer politicians and celebrities (From Gazette)

Bernard Jenkin: Give honours to more community heroes, fewer politicians and celebrities

10:35am Wednesday 29th August 2012 in Harwich & Manningtree

HONOURS should be awarded to more community heroes and fewer politicians, celebrities and civil servants, according to Essex MP Bernard Jenkin.
The Commons Public Administration Select Committee, which is chaired by the Conservative MP for Harwich & North Essex, yesterday published a report condemning the granting of knighthoods to businessmen and senior officials for simply "doing the day job".
It called for the creation of an independent honours commission which was more transport and removed any politcal influence over who is rewarded.
Mr Jenkin said: “The public values the honours system, and it commands a significant degree of public confidence, but people still say that honours appear to be awarded through a mysterious process by the various committees to the usual suspects they already know.
“Far too few are being awarded to ordinary citizens for the extraordinary contributions they make to their communities - which is what the honours system should be for.
“There should be no 'automatic' honours for people who hold a certain post, or for celebrities and sports stars at a certain level, but too often it seems this is still the case.”