Forum Topic

Congratulations David Highton

A well deserved award !

Viv Ellis ● 4840d9 Comments

Maybe...But I do like the fact that it is a way of honouring those who have worked tirelessly for their community (often for decades without any thought of reward).I have absolutely no time for "automatic" honours such as those dished out to the upper echelons of the civil service.OTOH, honours given to sportsmen and women who have achieved the highest level of attainment against international competition after many years of hard work is less clear cut...

Tony Colliver ● 4834d

Do we need an Honours System?  If so, how do we make it more meaningful?I don't think we need to have an Honours System - we have too many already imo. There are honours and awards for just about everything one can think of...science, medicine, the arts, film, architecture, peace, even for acting!  Enough is enough. Honours and awards should be abolished.

Gerry Tan ● 4834d

Thank You Eric for this post. I couldn't have put it better myself. The Honours System needs to be debated , and made more meaningful.

Os A Whittle ● 4835d

Ben - you are missing the point here.As richly deserved as David's 'honour' is, it's the whole honours system that is flawed. You can't argue about the mechanics of a system which has no elected legitimacy. You never voted for an honours system did you? You never voted for the panel which decided who got what honour and who got no honours either? I'm sure David didn't do all the work he's done because he wanted to be honoured for it.I'm afraid honours are all a part of the whole unelected charade of Royalty, Sirs, Dames, Earls, Barons, Freemen, ceremonial Mayors, Lord High Sheriffs etc, etc.Think on about Sir Jimmy Saville, Sir Geoffrey Archer, Lord Conran Black (or is it Baron), Lord Lucan and all the Lords who were found guilty of cheating on their House of Lords expenses. And the honours system still allows convicted miscreants messrs Archer and Black to keep their titles and still sit in the House of Lords.

Eric Alan Leach ● 4838d

BBC Sports Personality is voted for by the public so no, you haven't missed anything. Unless you think there is a conspiracy of course.

Keith Iddon ● 4839d

First of all, many many congratulations to Ealing's latest Member of the British Empire! Well done David. Your honour is richly deserved. However, all this colonialism does need re-visiting. Is it not time to think of a better name than promoting someone to the dizzy heights of a rank in the British Empire? And finally,(sounding like Alistair Burnett), can someone please tell me how Andy Murray gets a CBE for winning one gold medal while Mo Farah winning two gold medals on super Saturday only gets a MBE? Andy Murray also getting hold of third place in BBC Sports Personality of the Year ahead of Mo Farah are quite spectacular misjudgments - it clearly means that I am missing something.

Ben Owen ● 4839d

Thanks Keith.  Well done David Highton and the others from West Ealing Neighbours - I have noticed West Ealing improve over the last few years - thanks for your tireless community work.While have a "shufty" of the home page, I noticed another local good deed person.  Congratulations and thanks to PC Engelbach of the Metropolitan Police Service for the good deeds he has done.Agree with Keith, its so much better that local "unknowns" get an award rather than a celebrity who gets one for just being famous!

Gerry Tan ● 4839d

Have a shufty at the homepage Gerry.I much prefer it when people like David get awards than when celebrities and the like get a gong.Good on you David, well done.

Keith Iddon ● 4839d

What award, may we ask?

Gerry Tan ● 4839d