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Rushdie row 'a shock to knighthood committee'
Last updated at 12:37pm on 20.06.07
Salman Rushdie with wife Padma
The committee that proposed Salman Rushdie for a knighthood failed to consider whether it would provoke a negative reaction from the Muslim world, it was claimed today.
The group, which put forward the Indian-born author for the Queen's birthday honours, believed the decision would improve relations between Britain and Asia.
The committee, chaired by investment banker Lord Rothschild, included BBC director Jenny Abramsky, former Sunday Telegraph theatre critic John Gross and former editor of the Independent Andreas Whittam Smith.
Mr Whittam Smith said: "We were concerned only with merit."
The Muslim Council of Britain condemned the knighthood as a "provocation" but called for restraint from Muslims.
It said the author had "earned notoriety throughout the world for the vilifying manner in which he portrayed Islamic figures".
Flames and the fury: Pakistani Muslims torch a Union Flag during protests in Lahore
Meanwhile, Whitehall sources have claimed the controversial nomination for Rushdie's knighthood came from the Culture Department's top mandarin because of 'public demand'.
The author is understood to have been put forward by Jonathan Stephens, the department's Permanent Secretary, who sits on a committee that considers honours for leading figures in the arts and media.
As bitter protests continued in the Muslim world over the award, senior MPs expressed incredulity at the idea of a wave of public demands for Mr Rushdie to be ennobled.
They were also astonished that the backlash against the award in the Muslim world had not been better anticipated.
Whitehall sources said the knighthood was approved by the arts and media committee chaired by multimillionaire philanthropist Lord Rothschild.
Other members of the committee included Mr Stephens, a career civil servant who previously worked on public services at the Treasury, the BBC's director of radio and music Jenny Abramsky CBE, former theatre critic John Gross, novelist Ben Okri, and former editor of the Independent newspaper Andreas Whittam Smith.
A Whitehall source insisted: "Members of the public wrote to the honours committee.
"He was nominated by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the strength of representations from the public for his contribution to literature.
"He has an internationally recognised body of work over many years, he's won the Booker Prize, he's a world-famous author."
After being approved by the arts and media committee, the nomination went up to the main honours committee, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell.
He agreed the final list for submission to Tony Blair and then to the Queen.
Tory MP Stewart Jackson, chairman of the all-party group on Pakistan, said: "I have tried to read one or two of his books myself, and I would have got more stimulation from the Yellow Pages.
"The suggestion that the British public have been queueing up to demand that Salman Rushdie is given a knighthood is frankly a joke.
"A few cappuccino-sipping Lefties in Hampstead may have thought this was a good move, but the idea he is a popular cultural icon is laughable."
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Sworn enemies: Effigies of Rushdie and the Queen go up in flames
Tory MP Rob Wilson, vice-chairman of the all-party Parliamentary Pakistan group, said: "I am amazed that the people involved in this didn't anticipate the controversy it would cause."
A Foreign Office source said its officials had expected a backlash, but insisted they could not have intervened on those grounds.
"We certainly anticipated that the award would not be uncontroversial in the Muslim world," the source said.
"But it was an award for Salman Rushdie's literary merit. Other considerations could not come into play."
Westminster observers noted that Mr Rushdie is published by Vintage, a division of Random House.
The chief executive of Random House is Gail Rebuck, who is married to Philip Gould, Tony Blair's long-time polling guru.
But there is no suggestion that she or her husband played any role in nominating Mr Rushdie for an honour.
Last night, Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned Britain's Ambassador to Tehran, Geoffrey Adams, to protest about the "provocative" award.
Earlier, Pakistan summoned Robert Brinkley, the British High Commissioner in Islamabad, and told him the knighthood was insensitive and contrary to efforts to foster understanding between religions. Effigies of the Queen and the 59-year-old author were burned for a second day.
In Iran, MPs accused the Queen of living in a "dream world" over the award.
Reader views (17)
Really it is very sad and unacceptable for Muslims. Award should be honoured to those who respect all religion and nation, and every body should be happy to honour such respectable person. In this case Muslim should award Osama Bin Laden, Mulla Omer, Ahmedy Najjad or Dr Qadir Khan. We should respect the human being and work for the betterment of every one, while lot of organisations are performing around the world irrespective to religion race or colour and every body is participating. We are not in dream world now. Everyone has got lot of update information through media. Before rewarding such persons the jury should think over the reaction in other counties even in the UK. This way unpleasant atmospheres could be avoided. We must live in one community and respect each other which is important to build a strong society.
- Chishty, Lahore, PAKISTAN
This honour was given to do exactly what is now taking place. Stir up a hornet's nest, then hopefully some silly misguided young man might go and do something similar to what took place on 7/7. Then we'll have a situation to introduce more security measures and an opportunity to push forward the ID cards. This government not as slick with its spin as it thinks it is.
Provocation and propaganda working hand in hand, right under your noses!
Divide and rule, works every time!
Ok, so we might lose some more lives on the streets of a major city like we did on 7/7 but what does this government care, it's sending our sons and daughters into Iraq and Afghanistan on a daily basis to die. So whether we die here or in distant countries, it's all the same to them. As long as they can push their control agenda through and stay in power, that all that matters.
The respect and high esteem the Royal's, especially the Queen have enjoyed for decades from the worlds Muslims is gone, up in a puff of smoke, destroyed by a government that would have preferred President Blair instead!
I am not a religious man, but respect all faith's and all peoples freedom to practice them. I'm not a political activist who supports any particular party line. I'm just British, and not very proud today. I just wanted to use my voice before 'they' come and take that away too.
- Tariq King, Sheffield, England, UK
What kind of out of touch idiots have they got on the honours committee?
- Graham, Guildford, UK
They're such pyromaniacs. Always burning effigies like sixteenth century mobs with pitchforks. It's getting a bit like 'whatever!'
- Isabel, Woking, England
Yes, of course, let's only do stuff if we get the permission of the Muslim world first!
- Philip, London, England
I agree with Brandon. Why on earth should we have our honours system dictated to by the rants and threats of hard line Muslims? And I’d love to know how many of the people burning flags and effigies in the street have actually READ the Satanic Verses? Hardly any, I’ll wager….
- Ben, London
People with naive and un-rigorously examined views and comments - just like those on this nominating committee - might be said by many to have caused the situation through their endless tolerance even promotion of moaning bigots who are once again aggressively and menacingly demonstrating against what displeases them at the time, right now its old Rushdie. Having said that, why on earth give the man a knighthood? He has done nothing but criticise too! Ah, that explains it.
- Helen, Norwich
If ever there was a good example of religion being responsible for ignorance and intolerance then here it is.
- Andy, London
This is Great Britain. We shouldn't worry about what Muslims think when we're deciding upon knighthoods. It's up to us what we do.
- Rd, Glamorgan, UK
The committee has a BBC executive on it. Say no more.
- Nigel Frost, sarasota florida USA
Even I at my most unreconstructed could have foreseen the Islamists going off on one over Rushdie's knighthood. Who on earth suggested these clowns on the selection panel?
- Squiz, Islington
I do not think Rushdie deserves this accolade - he is a pompous over- rated writer. As for the committee thinking it would 'improve relations', I really cannot believe that. Have they been living on the same planet as the rest of us? I am glad the Muslim Council of Britain has appealed for calm and I also hope this does not mean us taxpayers have to fork out for protection for Rushdie. He should do the decent thing and refuse to accept the OBE. It would save a lot of time and money.
- Karen, London UK
It is not acceptable behaviour for Muslims to be burning pictures of the Queen and Union Jacks over Mr Rushdie's Knighthood. He was recognised for his lifetime achievement as a writer, especially with children's books. It is getting very old that everytime Muslims do not like something, they issue death threats and protest and riot all over the world.
- Brandon Thomas, London, UK
I am amazed that the people responsible for nominating people for
the Queen's birthday honours ignored the sensitive situation. We all know the reaction that we could expect. Now our lovely Queen has been put in a terrible position.I think it is disgraceful that such a mistake was made.
- Audrey Hogan, Warrington, United Kingdom
They were out of their tiny little minds. (Obviously did not go to a Grammar School)
- Frank, Wolverhampton, England
Mr Blair recently announced that British aid to Pakistan is to be increased to £480m pounds. To demonstrate their dislike of the British honours system, will they formally reject this aid? That would teach us!!
- Roy G, Solihull, England.
Not sure I'd have suggested Rashdie for a knighthood, his books are a little too heavy for my liking. However, why should he not get an award simply because the Muslims want him dead? Passion of Christ and The Davinci Code annoyed Christians but don't see them asking for death. Come out of the dark ages and get a life you extreamists! Treat your fellow humans such as women and the poor with humanity in your own back yard instead of wasting your time making life and death decisions with fatwas etc. Ask why there is so much poverty in muslim countries and why women have no voices in your public arena.
I should know, I was born into a muslim family but dared to speak out.
- Anisa, Tasmania, Australia
