The number of signatures continues to rise. Thank you all for your support!
The petition alone, however, will not bring about change. As one journalist explained to me, it is "only once you get politicians to run with [the] idea that you are in business."
What better time to engage with our MPs to show them our commitment to wanting to see the honours system reformed than by acting today with the news yesterday that a former CBE recipient had been stripped of their title for "having brought the honours system into disrepute". As it is, the leader of another major English institution, with whom this individual had very strong allegiances, declared that "more questions should have been asked."
You, as supporters, can take the next step now and get in touch with your MP.
It is important you email your local MP. (There is a strict Parliamentary protocol that Members of Parliament only take up matters on behalf of their own constituents.)
If you are not sure who your local MP is you can check here: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP
You will need to include your contact information, providing
- Your full name
- Your full postal address
- Your telephone number
(Without this information your MP will not be able to deal with your enquiry.)
And if you are in doubt about what to include when sending your email, I would suggest the following:
- make the 'Subject' of your email "(Petition to) Reform the UK's Honours System"
- briefly highlight your concern about the current honours system
- include a link to the petition (https://chng.it/CKZ2RzwbyF)
- ask your MP to raise a question at PMQs (Prime Minister's Questions) or to speak to the APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) on Democracy and the Constitution about their work on reforming the honours system.
You may also be interested to read this Parliamentary Report, published in 2004, in which the recommendations, 20 years on, are as relevant today, if not more so: A Matter of Honour: Reforming the Honours System (Fifth Report of Session 2003-4)
We can make this happen!