With Michael Heseltine's name popping up from Peter Hitchens's blog to Coffee House, I have noticed that there are a staggering 25 vacancies in the Order of Companions of Honour.
Not only that, but of the current members, in an Order which has always been a bit heavy with politicians, precisely two have ever been Labour. One of those has not been so since 1981, and he advocated a vote for the Conservatives in 1992. The other will be 96 this year, having been born less than three months after the Order itself was founded.
Not only that, but of the current members, in an Order which has always been a bit heavy with politicians, precisely two have ever been Labour. One of those has not been so since 1981, and he advocated a vote for the Conservatives in 1992. The other will be 96 this year, having been born less than three months after the Order itself was founded.
By contrast, no fewer than 11 are in receipt of the Conservative Whip in the House of Lords, and a twelfth is the serving Conservative Chief Whip in the House of Commons and therefore a member of the present Cabinet, while a thirteenth is Sir John Major.
There are also two Australians. Remember that we are talking about Australian standards when we say that one is a right-wing former Prime Minister and the other is a very right-wing former Deputy Prime Minister.
There are also two Australians. Remember that we are talking about Australian standards when we say that one is a right-wing former Prime Minister and the other is a very right-wing former Deputy Prime Minister.
Yet of the original 17 Companions of Honour, eight were from outside politics, at least as narrowly conceived, and in several cases at all. Another was General Smuts. But five were trade union leaders, Labour politicians, or both. A sixth was a leader of the women's suffrage movement that had not at the time attained its objective.
A seventh was soon afterwards to expand her social reforming work into political activity as an Independent Liberal. Two more were Liberal Unionists. If Vicount Chetwynd took the Conservative Whip, then he was the only person on the list who was in any sense politically involved with that party, and even then barely so.
A seventh was soon afterwards to expand her social reforming work into political activity as an Independent Liberal. Two more were Liberal Unionists. If Vicount Chetwynd took the Conservative Whip, then he was the only person on the list who was in any sense politically involved with that party, and even then barely so.
The pattern was set for many decades thereafter: relatively right-wing Labour politicians by pre-Blair standards, a few downright left-wing figures such as Sir Stafford Cripps, trade union leaders, upper and upper-middle-class Boadiceas of social reform, luminaries of the Australian Labor and New Zealand Labour Parties, an extremely long-serving editor of the Manchester Guardian, a prominent campaigner on behalf of the rural working class.
Peace activists were notably numerous. The first Prime Minister of independent Papua New Guinea remains, while the first Prime Minister of independent Trinidad and Tobago, and previously, therefore, the leader of the campaign for independence from Britain (rather than, as in Papuan case, from Australia), was also a member.
There was even an Indian nationalist politician, albeit one who opposed Congress's non-cooperation with the War Effort. The one who had been Prime Minister of Northern Ireland had been a founder-member of, and had gone on to chair, the Ulster Unionist Labour Association.
There was even an Indian nationalist politician, albeit one who opposed Congress's non-cooperation with the War Effort. The one who had been Prime Minister of Northern Ireland had been a founder-member of, and had gone on to chair, the Ulster Unionist Labour Association.
There was a distinct preponderance of Nonconformist ministers, as well as towards Scotland and, strikingly in view of its relative smallness within the population, towards Wales.
There were brilliantly maverick clergymen, generally influenced by Tractarianism, such as the Church of England used to produce: Wilson Carlile, Dick Shepherd, Tubby Clayton, Chad Varah. Varah did not die until 2007, yet he is already an unimaginable figure.
There were brilliantly maverick clergymen, generally influenced by Tractarianism, such as the Church of England used to produce: Wilson Carlile, Dick Shepherd, Tubby Clayton, Chad Varah. Varah did not die until 2007, yet he is already an unimaginable figure.
There were plenty of other people, too, including plenty of Tories. But the old Radical tradition was very much in evidence. Alas, no more. Despite there being quite enough room for its current grandees in an Order not even two-thirds full.
For example, three people were Cabinet Ministers continuously from 1997 to 2010. Respectively, they ended their time as Prime Minister, as Lord Chancellor, and as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Two of the three living former Deputy Prime Ministers are Companions of Honour, but not the third. A former European Commissioner who used to chair the Conservative Party is so honoured, but not the Briton who was Vice-President of the European Commission during exactly the same period. And so on.
Two of the three living former Deputy Prime Ministers are Companions of Honour, but not the third. A former European Commissioner who used to chair the Conservative Party is so honoured, but not the Briton who was Vice-President of the European Commission during exactly the same period. And so on.
Oh, well, appointments are made on Prime Ministerial recommendation. There are five recommendations to be made on Ed Miliband's first day. It is hardly as if they would fail to leave plenty of room for anyone else.
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