Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Spokesman on: Queens Birthday Honours, EU Rebate, Moscow/G8 and Zimbabwe.
Queens Birthday Honours
The Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) briefed the press on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, she said:
This Honours List reflects and pays tribute to outstanding achievement and service right across the community and the nation as a whole.
As in previous lists a key aim has been to reward those who work and serve at the sharp end - people who have really changed things, or who have given outstanding service to others in difficult situations.
This list contains over 500 awards (at 60%, the highest number yet) for people who are involved in one way or another in voluntary service. This includes, for example, an MBE for Lloyd Scott, who has raised substantial sums of money for charities such as Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood. He has taken part in numerous walks, treks and climbs and came to public prominence when he took over five days to complete the London Marathon whilst wearing a full antique diver’s suit and an MBE for Ade Adepitan, a member of Britain’s Wheelchair Basketball team which won a bronze medal at the Athens 2004 Paralympics (and well known to television viewers for being part of BBC’s link featuring three wheelchair-bound dancers dancing to a hip hop theme on a basketball court) a presenter for the BBC children’s daily show, X-change and an active patron of Scope, supporting their work towards equality for disabled people in its four priority areas of Early Years, Education, Work and Daily Living; a CBE for Gordon Thomson who has worked on a voluntary basis for 26 years, giving significant time as a trustee and chair of the Carnegie UK Trust, one of the most respected independent foundations supporting research, public policy analysis and grass roots programme and an OBE for Stephanie Cole, one of Britain’s most enduring actresses who has done much to further the cause of mental health charities.
The list also reflects the government’s commitment to honouring those in its key priority areas: education, health, law and order.
Education, for instance, makes up 10% of the total.
There is a DBE for Maureen Brennan, headteacher of Hillcrest School and Community College in Dudley, a school in a deprived area which she has improved dramatically under her dynamic and visionary leadership.
There are Knighthoods for Pritpal Singh, headteacher of Drayton Manor High School in Ealing where he has achieved outstanding results starting from a poor baseline and who has contributed much to education at the national level; Professor Roderick Floud, President of London Metropolitan University, one of the "new" universities, who has done an enormous amount to promote higher education both within the country and at international level.
Among the CBEs are Patricia Campbell, headteacher of Town Field Primary School in Doncaster, an inspirational head who has led her school to achieve Beacon status while doing much to support other local schools; Health and social services make up another 10% - and, as you would expect, there’s a wide range of awards including a DBE for Carol Black, who has made an enormous impact during her three years as President of the Royal College of Physicians and has played a leading part in public health issues.
And there is a Knighthood for Muir Gray, Director of the NHS Knowledge Management Programme who has made an inspirational and innovative contribution to public health, particularly in neo-natal screening.
Among the CBEs are Martin Marshall, the internationally respected Professor of General Practice at the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre who also works as an inner-city GP;; Ian MacLennan, Clinical Immunologist at Birmingham University Hospital Trust and a world leader in research into the immune systems and treatment of blood cancers; Alan Jackson, Professor of Human Nutrition at Southampton University who has provided independent expert advice on nutrition and public health for over 30 years and is seen as an ambassador for public health nutritionSusan Osborne, Director of Nursing Services for St Mary’s NHS Trust in West London, who has given strong leadership on service modernisation and done much to help national networks of senior nurses.
In other areas, there are Knighthoods for Iqbal Sacranie, the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, a highly effective spokesman on behalf of Muslim interests; Dr Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi, who is seen as one of the most prominent and respected religious leaders whose influence extends far beyond the Jewish community not least his writing and broadcasting; Christopher Clarke, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group in the Local Government Association, where he has done much to promote social inclusion and develop solutions to problems such as local government finance and firefighters’ pay; Michael Pitt, Chief Executive of Kent County Council, who has run his authority effectively achieving "excellent" status for two years running while also making a strong contribution to local government across the country;.
Among the CBEs are Paul Wilson, Chief Probation Officer for West Yorkshire, who has transformed his team’s performance over the last four years and has also contributed to policy at national level; Paul Kernaghan, Chief Constable of Hampshire, whose progressive force has been committed to the highest standards of performance and who has also given excellent service as chair of ACPO’s International Affairs Committee.
Business Science and Technology make up 17% of the awards.
There is a DBE for Nancy Rothwell, Professor of Physiology at Manchester University who has made major discoveries in energy balance, immune responses and neurodegeneration and is a role model for women scientists.
Among the Knighthoods are George Cox, lately Director General of the Institute of Directors, an entrepreneur who has made a strong public and charitable contribution; Roderick Eddington, Chief Executive of British Airways plc under whose leadership the company has seen a remarkable turnaround in its fortunes; Callum McCarthy, Chair of the Financial Services Authority, who has contributed to the successful liberalisation and regulation agenda in the UK, both in his current post and when he worked at Ofgas and Ofgem; Thomas Hunter; founding partner of West Coast Capital and a leading Scottish entrepreneur and philanthropist whose Foundation invests in enterprise and educational initiatives aimed largely at children and David Prosser, Group Chief Executive and Director of the Legal and General Group plc, where his leadership has enabled his firm to become one of the most dynamic, innovative and admired companies in the UK.
Among the CBEs are Christopher Wright, Chair of the Chrysalis Group plc who, over a long career, has enjoyed great success in every aspect of the entertainment business while giving strong support to many charities The Cultural Economy makes up 7% of the total.
There is a CH (Companion of Honour) for Judi Dench, one of Britain’s most celebrated actresses on stage, in film and on television.
Announced separately by the FCO is an Honorary KBE (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for Terry Wogan, a broadcaster since the 1960s.
There are Knighthoods for David Jason, one of the most popular and enduring actors of today, particularly on television; Clive Gillinson, Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra widely regarded as one of the finest in the world; John Tomlinson, Britain’s foremost bass-baritone and Donald Gordon, the arts benefactor who has been particularly involved with the Royal Opera House and the Wales Millennium Centre.
Among the CBEs are William Boyd, widely regarded as one of Britain’s most respected writers (whose most recent work is Fascination and latest screen play for the film, Man to Man); Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, co-chairs of Britain’s flagship film production company, Working Title Films whose work includes Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones’s Diary and Captain Corelli’s Madolin; Frances Spalding, the distinguished art historian and biographer who is particularly well-known as an authority on 20th century British art; Dr Martyn Goff, a highly influential force in the promotion of literature and administrator of the Booker Prize; Brian May, Queen guitarist and singer who has worked tirelessly for many charities; Joyce Hay; Founder and Chair of the Voice of the Listener and Viewer, through which she has had a profound influence on the shape of broadcasting over many years; Richard Hooper, Deputy Chair of the Office of the Communications and Chair of its predecessor, the Radio Authority - in both positions he provided outstanding and forward thinking leadership.
Among the OBEs are Jonathan Ross, the television and radio presenter; Brian Aldiss, the pioneering science fiction writer (recent works include The Cretan Teat and Jocasta); Midge Ure, musician who has worked as musical director for causes such as the Prince’s Trust and Breakthrough and has raised large sums for charity; Michael Medwin; a stalwart of the British film industry who has appeared in over 70 films before becoming a producer and director; Suzy Menkes; fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune; Frank Gardner, BBC Security Correspondent and Patricia Rodenburg, one of the world’s leading authorities on voice training for the stage.
And among the MBEs is Sarah Kennedy, presenter of BBC Radio 2.
Awards for sport make up 4% of the total.
There is a Knighthood for Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee who has worked hard to make the Olympics and Paralympic accessible and welcoming to disabled sportspeople and spectators alike.
There is a CBE for Basil D’Oliveira, Vice-President of Worcestershire Cricket Club and one of the most revered players in the history of the game.
And an OBE for Dave Sexton, the respected football coach and manager who is involved with the England set-up as part of the extensive scouting operation and is also a consultant to the Football Association. And an MBE for Les Ferdinand, the professional footballer who is held in high regard within the game and who has worked tirelessly with under-privileged children in local schools.
Last but not least, there is a Knighthood for Michael Barber, Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit and formerly Chief Adviser to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on school standards. And there is an MBE for Wendell Lyle who plays a leading role in the IT infrastructure team at No 10.
That’s just a brief summary, but we’ve given you the selected list which includes others as well as a selection of MBEs which will contain many local stories."
Asked if Callum McCarthy had been knighted as an olive branch and to apologise for the Prime Minister’s ‘attack’ on the FSA recently, the PMS said that she disagreed with the premise. The Prime Minister had certainly not attacked the FSA. He had made a speech talking about perceptions. This was unrelated and it was not an apology as there was nothing to apologise for.
Asked how you addressed an Honourary Knight, the PMS said that Honourary Knights did not receive the Knighthood from the Queen so they couldn’t call themselves by the title although others referred to them by their title if they wished.
Asked if there were any political honours the PMS said no. People were awarded for public service and there were no direct political honours.
Asked if there were any donors to the Labour Party in the honours list, the PMS said that being a donor to the Labour party or any other political party did not preclude people from receiving an honour. She said she had no idea if anyone on the list had made donations to any political party.
EU Rebate
Asked for the Prime Minister’s current position on the EU rebate, the PMS said that the Prime Minister expressed his view clearly in his doorstep with Josep Borell at Downing Street this morning. She had nothing to add to that.
Moscow/G8
The PMS confirmed the Prime Minister’s meeting with President Putin in Moscow on Monday and his trips to Berlin immediately afterwards and Paris on Tuesday. Asked if the Prime Minister was concerned that the debate over the EU budget would overshadow the Prime Minister’s G8 agenda, the PMS said this was part of a programme to meet leaders ahead of the G8 summit. Clearly there would be discussions of a wide range of issues at those meetings. The Prime Minister knew what he wished to discuss at these meetings and would make sure he got through his agenda. Put to her that the Chancellor had asked the Prime Minister to toughen his stance on the EU budget, the PMS said that the Prime Minister set out his views and had been very clear on the issue.
Zimbabwe
Asked if the Prime Minister would raise the issue of the EU’s failure to impose a travel ban on the leadership of Zimbabwe with his European colleagues, the PMS said that the EU had been discussing the situation in Zimbabwe and the UK and the EU had made it clear that we deplored what was going on in Zimbabwe. She did not know whether the issue was on the agenda for the meetings, next week.
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