New Year Honours: Arnott and Duffy overlooked again
Tuesday, December 31, 2013 at 11:00 Something has always puzzled me about the honours list and it's this:
Why no gongs for the likes of Deborah Arnott, CEO of ASH; Sheila Duffy, CEO of ASH Scotland; Fiona Andrews, director of Smokefree South West; or Andrea Crossfield, director of Tobacco Free Futures?
After all, it's titans of Tobacco Control like Deborah and Sheila who are often credited with introducing smoking bans and other measures that have saved tens of thousands of lives. Allegedly.
Surely they should receive recognition for their services to public health?
But, no. The years tick by and Deborah remains plain Ms Arnott. Ditto Ms Duffy.
The latest honours list, published last night, includes awards for services to education, human rights, business, engineering, social sciences, opera, ballet, children's charities, meteorology, legal aid, law enforcement, journalism, road safety, media and communications, football ... even sailing.
Nothing, however, for tobacco control or public health. Doesn't that strike you as odd?
After all, if the smoking ban (to take one example) has been as successful as the Tobacco Taliban would have us believe, the Government would surely want to recognise it and reward those responsible. (Arise, Dame Debs.)
Instead, silence.
It's not as if health is ignored. There are several awards for services to healthcare, nursing, the NHS - even animal welfare.
But nothing for the tireless campaigners who relentlessly nag and cajole smokers to quit a habit that, at the latest 'estimate', costs the country £13 billion a year.
What's going on?
Update: I have found one award for services to public health.
Professor Richard Parish, formerly chief executive, Royal Society for Public Health, has been awarded the CBE.
I'll keep looking. The Telegraph has the full list here.
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Sir Kevin Barron...