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Bid to halt Beckham knighthood
By Joe Murphy, Evening Standard Last updated at 10:54am on 31.05.07
Victoria and David Beckham at his 32nd birthday celebrations in London
David Beckham is at the centre of a Whitehall campaign to prevent him being made a knight.
Civil servants have been asked to consider the former England captain's suitability for the honour.
But there are concerns about his move to play in the United States, where he will effectively be a tax exile, and also questions about whether his wife should become Lady Beckham.
Two lists are being prepared - the Queen's Birthday Honours and Tony Blair's resignation honours.
A source told the Evening Standard: "His name has been put forward but there is a view among some officials that it should not be approved while there is a conflict between his future as an England player and his contract with an American club.
"Some officials feel that there is nothing wrong with honouring a player who is based in Europe and free to represent his country if required, but feel there is a big difference if the same player is earning his main income and paying tax in the United States and unable to play for England."
Beckham, 32, is still a Real Madrid player but has signed a £25million five-year contract with LA Galaxy starting this summer. There is concern that the move means he is putting club above country.
He was dramatically recalled by England this weekend after being dropped at the end of last year's World Cup.
He is seen by Downing Street as an iconic player and is highly regarded for the key part he played in bringing the 2012 Olympics to London. Deeply patriotic, he was delighted to be awarded the OBE in 2003.
In addition to his record as England captain, he and Victoria score highly as givers to charity.
Downing Street refused to comment on whether Mr Blair had suggested the name for his retirement honours. A big star name would be a populist touch on a list set to be dominated by controversial awards to Blair aides such as Jonathan Powell and Alastair Campbell.
Reader views (15)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
No doubt Blair will be getting a Knighthood or peerage, and he's done far more damage to Britain than Beckham ever could!
- Philip, London, England
This would be about right though. Knight someone with a British Knighthood who has not paid tax in this country for a good five years and will continue to not pay tax for at least another 5 years. Britain is not just a soft touch for illegal immigrants.
- Kim, London
I cannot think of anything they have done - which does not directly enrich themselves! Victoria has recently been quoted as saying that the entire family cannot wait to get to California and start the next chapter of their goldfish bowl lives!
So he is a good (if rather petulant) footballer, she is a clotheshorse, what exactly have they done to merit a Knighthood?
It makes such a great honour worthless.
- Ashley, Cape Town, South Africa
They gave Terry Wogan a knighthood, for services to the Eurovision Song contest, you can't dumb it down much lower than that.
- Mick, London, England
Giving honours to garbage like these two shows just how low this country has stooped.
- Ray Phelps, Deal, England
Why not just make him Lord Beckham of Los Angeles? He always comes across as remarkably “y'know”, intelligent in “y'know”, interviews so his insight into modern, “y'know” life and that, should be “y'know”, priceless.
- Dave, Dalston, London
No, No, a thousand times No!
He's a better than average footballer on the down-slope of his career, who is in the process of putting his earnings beyond the reach of the treasury - there is no way on earth that he deserves a knighthood.
What about someone who has really done something worthwhile? Such as the senior scientists in Cancer Research UK.
- David, Cambridge, UK
Please, please, please, please, please! Anything but Lady Beckham. As if this woman hasn't got enough airs and graces about her already! Please don't do it!
- J Knight, Birmingham
I am sure he is a very nice person and has done much - but then have many other people - honours used to be for doing something honourable. I agree with the previous comments civil servants do not count either as they only do their job. What has he done which is exceptional. Again look at value not money.
- Simon, Bucharest - Romania
What on earth have the self-indulgent ignorant pair done to deserve being honoured? He lost us the World Cup, she is a leather-look non-entity appendage who's hanging on in there for the money. Can you imagine her as Lady anything except Muck?
- Victor Chisholm, London
Honours should be for people who have done things for their country, not bled it dry and left !
- Mike, Sussex
Absolutely not acceptable.
Enough cronies who avoid paying UK tax have been given honours and should we be grateful for the cost of staging the Olympics? He got an OBE, surely there are more deserving people.
I am sick and tired of people who simply do their job (this is more directed at civil servants) getting honoured. The whole system should be scrapped.
- James, London
Regardless of the tax issue, and any charity work he has done, which is commendable, he hasn't done enough within the game to warrant it.
- Jd, London
David Beckham should definately recieve a Knighthood. His contribution to sports has been massive and he should be recognised for this. There must be many other Sirs who no longer live in the UK so why are they picking on Beckham? Also if David Becomes Sir thenb Victoria should most definately become a lady too, its only fair!
- Rosie, Clapham
By giving people like Beckham a knighthood we are dumbing it down even further. He hasn't actually done that much for his country as I'm not aware that England have won any major titles. If the only person they can think of knighting is him then they should seriously reconsider handing any out.
- Lou, East London
