Following this thread as a matter of great interest, one pervading theme is central to it, that of the cost to the crown of all these medals and honours to individuals.

Let me posit a notion which will satisfy the civil serpents in their need to save money. This of course is simple, rather like the civil serpents, actually.

Let the honours and decorations committee, inform the gazetted recipients that they have been award their particular medal, knighthood, peerage, then send them the bill for the damned thing. Then, honours for cash would really come into it's own and there would be no backlash from the media about honours for cash

In closing, Mr civil serpent, if you are reading this missive, here is my cheque for forty five quid, send me my peerage by return post.

There you go, problem solved.

Yours aye

Arthur R-S

The Cabinet Office has posted one of the IC Decision Notices (John Coopers request for info) at the following -

http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/decisionnotices/2010/fs_50220275.pdf

It gives more new information about the 'non-political and independent' HD Committee which seems from the ICO's view not to be so and that the decision to not award the PJM and then 'U' turn and allow it to be awarded but with the restriction upon wear was made by a politician whom the HD Committee reported to after their meeting on 7th December, 2005, and this politician sent the HD Committee report with a covering letter from himself to The Queen's Private Secretary on 19th December, 2005, WITH A COPY to some unnamed person in the Cabinet Office Honours Secretariat (no prizes for guessing who that was then Dennis?).

So our Queen who is the Constitutional Head of our country and is non-political(sic) takes and acts on a recommendation from her HD Committee and a politician.


Who was that politician, it was the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw MP. who seems to have had an inordinate hatred of anything to do with HM Forces and persons in uniform. It is said on Wikipedia that when he went to school he refused a compulsory order to join the cadets and it was said on TV Question Time by Nick Griffin BNP that Straw's father had been jailed for being a conscientious objector during the second world war.

A person in our 'free' country is entitled to his views (provided they are not race, religion, sexuality etc etc) but to have 35,000 British veterans refused permission to wear a medal by someone like this is beyond belief.

Perhaps we are now getting close to finding out just why our Queen was advised to discriminate solely against her own British veterans. We are now told that our country will be governed by fairness, responsibility and justice. If so, when are we PJMers to receive a bit of this justice and fairness.



Last edited by mcdangle on Thu May 27, 2010 10:26 am; edited 1 time in total

Andy,
Good analysis of the problem, maybe all politicians/civil serpents should have to attend compulsory "Brat/Boot Camps" of six month duration at the sharp end to understand the problems and commitment that have to be endured by by the troops; possibly they would then examine/discuss these issues with an open mind (then again,the proverbial pigs might still remain grounded ).

Keep up the good work

Gordon.

Thanks for posting that link Andy

Just a note to say that all might appear quiet on the Western Front, however I can report that things are far from quiet, the wheels of Government grind very slowly at times and with the link that Andy has posted my first complaint was made two years ago, there are other irons still in the fire, the bellows are stoking them as I type


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HD Committee: Amateurs in a Professional World
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