Bankers and City types, still hate figures for many in the aftermath of the banking crisis, fared almost as badly with only one gong – Dyfrig Dafydd Joseff John, the former deputy chairman and chief executive of HSBC, who received a CBE for “services to the financial services industry”.
HSBC was the only major High Street bank that did not go to the Treasury for taxpayers’ help as the financial crisis hit.
The Cabinet Office, which oversees the honours system, would not comment on people who had not received awards, with a spokesman stressing it was up to the public to make nominations.
“Awards are given on their merits,” insisted a spokesman. Asked if he could say whether an individual had been nominated or not, he replied: “We would not be able to confirm or deny that.”
Nominations are considered by various committees. Any nominations for a politician would have gone to the community committee, while any for a banker would have gone to the economy committee.
The last time a politician received an award was in the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2008 when veteran backbencher Alan Beith, the Liberal MP for Berwick upon Tweed, and Peter Viggers, the Conservative MP for Gosport, were knighted.
Sir Peter was a prominent figure in the expenses scandal. Earlier this year, the 71-year-old announced he would step down at the General Election following the flak he took for his infamous expense claim of £1600 for a floating duck house at his Portsmouth home. He received his knighthood “for services to Parliament”.
Parliament was hit by controversy when leaked details of MPs’ expenses claims since 2004 were published in May. The revelations led to a host of MPs announcing they would stand down, and a revamp of the entire expenses system.
Hundreds of MPs, including the three main UK party leaders, have agreed to repay sums totalling thousands of pounds.
Former RBS chief executive Sir Fred Goodwin has been widely criticised for his generous pension package and has tried to keep a low profile, living in Edinburgh and the south of France.
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