Cash for honours scandal

Who really gives a monkeys nowadays whether someone has a title or not?

Do we all feel so small, so inferior when confronted with one of these people with an appellation signifying nobility?

Do we always show deference to them by saying "Yes, your Grace"? "Certainly, My Lord"?

Let them flood the market with people with titles, even if they bought them. Don't allow them to sit in Parliament though.

The more poeple that have titles will eventually devalue the whole system, and they'll become as common as dirt.

Sorry if this upsets anyone, but this whole "cash for honours" thing is the stupidest, most unhonourable way that Tony Blair could ever make money, apart from taxing!
Yes, I know that a long time ago (a few hundred years ago infact) this was how lordships and such other titles were dished out, but those days were all very unjust. But hang on, I thought we were living in a "developing Britain"?? In my eyes, Mr. Blair is only taking us back in time.

"I cannot tell: The world is grown so bad that wrens may prey where eagles dare not perch. Since every Jack became a gentleman,there's many a gentle person made a Jack...great promotions are daily given to enoble those that scarce, some two days since, were worth a noble!"

I think that this issue is only of real importance to politicians who want to make political capital out of each other.
Lets face it the House of Lords has no real political clout nowadays.
One of the few politicians that I admire is Tony Benn who was once Sir Anthony Wedgewood Ben.He had the courage of his convictions and rejected his peerage because he didn't believe in the peerage system.

As long as its legal, what's the problem? People often pay for what they want or need and if they have the money so what. Cash for honours is just hype.

Well said, Grouch, but can you imagine some of the people snapping the titles up? Richard Desmond, Duke of Ascot, anyone? How about Bernard Matthews, Earl of Sniffington? Read the rich list... and be VERY afraid!

All the titles and lordships should be for sale. They have always been so, at least for 400 years. That is nearly all the hereditary lordships, dukedoms, earldoms, marquis etc. were bought by the rich men of the latter half of the seventeenth century. These aren't ancient families as one might suppose, but just rich landowners who had a windfall.

The placenames that come with the titles should be up for grabs, like car number plates.

So to buy the Countship of Little Nothington should go for, let's say, £5,000

And to buy the Royal Dukedom of Ascot, a price tag of, let's say, £5,000,000 might be more appropriate.

Adding 50% more for hereditaryships.

Arms, Symbols, and so on, all at extra plus VAT, and Stamp Duty.

As for "landed" bit, current market rates for the acre, in whatever neck of the woods you want the lordship to lord it over to be.

Transfer fees would be payable, on resale.

Butlers, Gamekeepers, Landscape Architects etc.. all at market rates.

Other paraphernalia available at discount.

Coronets: Made in China