Peter Tatchell claims he was offered a knighthood
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has claimed he turned down the offer of a knighthood.
The campaigner says he has three times received calls asking if he would be “‘minded’ to accept an OBE, knighthood or peerage”.
However he says he had no idea who was calling on each occasion, and the calls could have been fake.
Tatchell claims he “said no” on every occasion.
“Over the last decade, I have three times been asked if I would be ‘minded’ to accept an OBE, knighthood or peerage if they were offered.
“I said no”, he wrote.
“I could never accept an honour because the titles reek of aristocracy and empire, and the system is corrupted when financiers and friends of the Establishment scoop the top awards.
“In each case, the caller declined to identify himself or say on whose behalf he was calling. I have no idea if the sounding out was genuine or a tabloid sting.”
According to the government website, nominated persons would usually receive written notification of an offer.
The campaigner also says the honours system is blighted by nepotism and cronyism.
“Honours should be restricted to outstanding achievers and those who have made personal sacrifices for the benefit of the public.
“Party donors, political loyalists and government time-servers should be banned.
“No one should get a honour for long service in a well paid job.”
