Arise Sir Nick! Fury as Remainer Clegg gets a knighthood
LEAVE campaigners were outraged last night after it was confirmed that outspoken Remainer Nick Clegg has been formally designated a knight of the realm. The former Lib Dem leader will now be addressed as “Sir Nick” in debates on the post-Brexit future of Britain. His elevation is expected to spark another wave of fury as it was also confirmed that there is no gong for leading Leave campaigner Nigel Farage. When news of the knighthood was leaked last week, former Ukip leader Mr Farage accused the honour committee of ignoring those who campaigned for Britain’s historic Leave vote in last year’s referendum. “Of course I have not got an honour of any kind,” he said.
Extraordinary
“I am not a Remainer. Every one of them got CBEs, they got knighthoods, quite extraordinary.”
London Assembly Ukip member David Kurten said: “UK establishment to knight Nick Clegg and Vince Cable, but ignores Nigel Farage. Says it all about the people in charge. Time to drain the swamp.”
Former Ukip deputy leader Peter Whittle added: “Satire is dead”.
Sir Nick, 50, campaigned unsuccessfully for Remain at the referendum and published a book, How To Stop Brexit (And Make Britain Great Again).
But his 12-year stint as MP for Sheffield Hallam came to an ignominious end at this year’s general election, when he was beaten by Labour’s Jared O’Mara.
The only consolation for Brexiteers were knighthoods given to key Tory MPs and pro-Leave supporters Graham Brady and Geoffrey Clifton-Brown.
Sir Graham, MP for Altrincham and Sale, is chairman of the party’s influential 1922 Committee, while Cotswolds colleague Sir Geoffrey is its treasurer. Asked whether he believed Brexit had any influence on the honours, Sir Geoffrey said it was “completely coincidental”.
He added: “One doesn’t go into becoming a Member of Parliament with the expectation of anything. You are there to do a job, help people, make people’s lives a little easier and better. My daughter is about to have a baby so we’ve got a double family celebration.” Sir Graham said: “I am delighted. It’s a huge honour. My family are thrilled.”