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Honours System (Reform)

: That is entering into another debate. The point that I was coming to is that I see no problem with a system in which people are nominated for honours by a political machine. That brings me to another point. If political organisations have the right to nominate people, the ultimate selection should be made transparently by an independent body. To a certain extent we have moved towards that and in the debate so far that point has not been given sufficient recognition. We are in danger of ending up in a position in which we as politicians demean our own profession and contribution to the community by saying that people may be nominated for almost any other service in any other profession but not if they are politicians. The hon. Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone) made a legitimate point about a Conservative party worker who had made a lifetime contribution. We should recognise that politics, for all its failures, is an honourable profession and that there is nothing underhand, corrupt or illegitimate in nominating someone for contributing to the political and democratic structure in society. It is a good profession and is recognised throughout the world. People play a role and there should be an avenue by which they can be honoured without accusations of patronage or corruption. There should be a process within the honours system that recognises and legitimises that and is protected from the wild accusations that appear in the media and are sometimes made by people with good motives who misinterpret the position.