Queen Elizabeth ratified the stripping of Sir (former) Fred Goodwin's knighthood. Goodwin was the head of the Royal Bank of Scotland which insolvency started the worst recession in Britain since WW2. The head of British Civil Service notified Goodwin of the action Tuesday. The government said his prominent role in the 2008 Panic made him an "exceptional case" while some Labour ministers said the annulment was a "bow to the mob" given some people have been to prison and still have their knighthoods. Members of the House of Lords, for example, cannot have their honors removed (e.g., Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare) The Cabinet Office said Goodwin's knighthood was annulled because it brought the honours system into disrepute. Are they serious? The Royal Bank of Scotland was rescued by the government at ₤45.5bn ratepayer expense to prevent even more damage to the world's banking system. Sir Goodwin resigned under pressure as the bank's CEO and took early retirement in October 2008. Goodwin was knighted in 2004 for his services to banking. His knighthood was history when Tory Prime Minister David Cameron called for it to be removed. Goodwin joins spies Anthony Blunt and Kim Philby, dictators Nicolae Ceausescu, Robert Mugabe, and Benito Mussolini in the club of the disreputable. Mr. Obama, you should check this box: ◻.
