But let’s not forget the actual backbone of Britain. A quiet administrator from the Department for Work and Pensions got a BEM. Her crime? She fixed a database error that saved the country £3 billion. And she didn’t even get a parking permit, just a civil service medal. That’s peak British bureaucracy: saving money but still having to pay for your own lunch.
Then there’s the head of a local litter-picking group who got the same honor. She’s been cleaning the same bus stop in Slough for twenty years. Twenty. Years. That’s dedication. Or possibly a cry for help. Either way, she gets a medal and a free bus pass, which I think is the real victory.
Let’s Talk About the Snubs
Of course, no honours list is complete without controversy. Why didn’t the guy who invented the crisp sandwich get a nod? I’m half-joking, but seriously—there’s a chef who makes fusion pizza, and he got an OBE. Meanwhile, my local kebab shop owner has been feeding the homeless for a decade, and he’s not even on the list. Someone, please, make it make sense.
King's New Year Honours 2026: The full list of people from Greater
And the obvious omission: no honor for the person who designed the new passport design that still doesn’t scan properly at airport gates. I’m looking at you, Home Office. A knighthood for improving national frustration levels? Maybe next year.
