Repeated calls for honours system to be overhauled after accusations the UK government is rewarding those willing to undertake its bidding
Welfare rights campaigners are calling on the honours system to be overhauled after it emerged two senior Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) officials have been awarded CBEs.
Despite sanctions being linked with the deaths of numerous claimants and a punitive welfare cuts' regime causing hardships for thousands of vulnerable clients, Angela MacDonald, the DWP’s director of operational excellence was recognised for “services to welfare reform”, while Graeme Wallace, its pensions director, was honoured for “services to pensioners and welfare reform”.
They were just two of 10 DWP officials to be awarded gongs in the annual New Year’s Honours list.
The recognition comes after the DWP faced a United Nations probe last year that concluded the UK government had breached disabled people’s human rights across three key parts of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the way it instigated welfare cuts.
Craig Tinnie, who campaigns for the campaign group Disabled Rights for Scots said on Facebook that the honours system was obviously skewed towards rewarding those doing the government’s “dirty work”.
He added: “What we have here is a system of rewarding those who have the bottle to implement the government’s bidding. These two CBEs are being awarded to sycophants who are willing undertake the most draconian policies against society’s most vulnerable without question.
These honours should go to deserving people, those who have achieved work for public benefit - Craig Tinnie
“The whole honours system is flawed. These honours should go to deserving people, those who have achieved work for public benefit. These CBEs are being awarded for exactly the opposite.”
And Linda Burnip, a member of Disabled People Against Cuts, said: “It is obscene that having been found guilty of the grave and systematic violation of disabled people’s human rights, the government feel it is fitting to reward those involved in the callous and deadly welfare reforms with honours.”
Disabled activist, Rick Burgess, reacted via Twitter the awards came “despite UN condemnation for sanctions, workfare and deaths they have caused”.
A DWP spokesman said: “Honours are an important way to recognise an exceptional contribution to public service.
“We are proud that eight of our Jobcentre Plus staff have been honoured for their hard work improving the lives of people in their community.
“The process for selection is transparent and robust, nominations are considered by one of nine expert honours committees, chaired by a non-civil servant and comprising a majority of non-civil service members, all selected after open advertisement.”
