OBE/MBE System

M

Mountain Climber

Well-known member
What a strange system this is. Prime Ministers hairdressers getting awards for their 'services' being just one example. What a arbitrary, unfair, and anachronistic farce this is. There are hundreds if not thousands of people who do charity work all their lives who will never be rewarded. And the same people do not seek recognition for what they do.

Kate Garraway getting an MBE for looking after her husband since his Covid acquired illness. I believe she also wrote a best selling book on her role. Am I missing something here? Is this not what any loving and caring partner would do and have done since the pandemic?

Yes, I'm sure she has done an amazing job. But really?

Why does this justify an MBE?
 
Mountain Climber said:
What a strange system this is. Prime Ministers hairdressers getting awards for their 'services' being just one example. What a arbitrary, unfair, and anachronistic farce this is. There are hundreds if not thousands of people who do charity work all their lives who will never be rewarded. And the same people do not seek recognition for what they do.

Kate Garraway getting an MBE for looking after her husband since his Covid acquired illness. I believe she also wrote a best selling book on her role. Am I missing something here? Is this not what any loving and caring partner would do and have done since the pandemic?

Yes, I'm sure she has done an amazing job. But really?

Why does this justify an MBE?
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Services to broadcasting, journalism and charity work was her summary.

It can be for a whole range of things.

No idea how it is decided though
 
MichaelDebeve said:
Services to broadcasting, journalism and charity work was her summary.

It can be for a whole range of things.

No idea how it is decided though
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It all seems so arbitrary. 'Who you know' it would appear. I dare say she has worked hard for charity. BUT so has 'Elsie' aged 90, disabled, who has worked in the local hospital WRVS for 30 years. Elsie is an afterthought. Elsie does not seek pompous recognition. Elsie only wants to know that she has done a good job.
 
Mountain Climber said:
Kate Garraway getting an MBE for looking after her husband since his Covid acquired illness. I believe she also wrote a best selling book on her role. Am I missing something here? Is this not what any loving and caring partner would do and have done since the pandemic?

Yes, I'm sure she has done an amazing job. But really?

Why does this justify an MBE?
Click to expand...
She didn’t get it for looking after her husband. She got it for services to broadcasting, journalism and charity work.
 
Fat_Dragon said:
She didn’t get it for looking after her husband. She got it for services to broadcasting, journalism and charity work.
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For erm, doing her job to an average standard, which she is already handsomely paid for. If she had gone above and beyond and done investigative journalism that had risked her career but held the powerful to account, then fair enough, but she didn't. The system is legalised cronyism.
 
h_m_boro said:
Whole archaic system needs scrapping. Knighthoods, the lot.
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Almost every single country in the world has an honours system.

It's not unique to this country or particularly archaic, it's just the fact that the awards are intrinsically tied to the monarchy that makes it seem odd.
Decouple it from that, and it's the same as most countries.
 
As a Civil Servant, I can do a formal training course during working hours that will teach me how to write applications to get my colleagues nominated for honours, just for doing the job they are paid to do. Whole thing is utterly pathetic.
 
Many years ago my Dad received an award. At the time Civil Servants weren't able to be in usual honours system and he received an award similar to an OBE/MBE.
He worked for over 30 years in the Customs and Exercise, as a family we had to move every four years as everytime he was promoted we had to move to another area. So that it didn't affect our schooling we moved in the summer holidays, so Dad spent much of his time working away, we didn't get to see him at weekends as travelling was much more difficult, travelling from Canterbury to North Yorkshire in a Hillman Minx wasn't something you wanted to do too often.
To be recognised for his contribution to the state and the sacrifice that we made as a family, made for a very proud day for us as a family. If he had worked in the commercial world he would have earned far more money, had many more fringe benefits and enjoyed a stable family life.
I was very proud of my Dad.
 
clay said:
As a Civil Servant, I can do a formal training course during working hours that will teach me how to write applications to get my colleagues nominated for honours, just for doing the job they are paid to do. Whole thing is utterly pathetic.
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Spot the civil servant not nominated by their colleagues for a gong.
 
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