labour mp calls for scrapping of offensive Empire honours titles

 A senior Labour MP has sparked outrage after slamming the Queen’s honours system as ‘offensive’ because the awards reference the British Empire – even though she has an OBE herself.

Kate Green claimed there was no justification for ‘branding’ the gongs in colonial terms as ‘it’s offensive’ and could be ‘hurtful to people’ – and has called for reform.

But the Shadow Education Sectary has been blasted as a ‘hypocrite’ after it was revealed that she herself received an OBE in recognition of her charitable work in the 2005 New Year Honours list.

MailOnline has asked Ms Green if she will return her OBE in light of her recent comments but she has not yet replied.

Tory MPs have hit back at her comments, arguing changing the name of the honours system would be an ‘act of cultural and historic vandalism’ as they ‘reflect this country’s history and traditions’.

In an interview with BBC podcast Political Thinking today, she slammed the ‘Order of the British Empire’ titles, saying its ‘divisive, it’s offensive and hurtful to people’, and claimed they are ‘really the wrong language’.

But Ms Green still defended accepting her own honour – an appointment made before she became an MP in 2010 – as it ‘thrilled’ her father.

She argued that those who are singled out for their work to their community and country should be able to enjoy the ‘huge pleasure that it gives to so many people’ – but insisted that the wording should change.

Ms Green said: ‘One of the things I’ve been looking at a lot in recent weeks is the black curriculum campaign and decolonising our history and the whole curriculum.

‘You can’t excuse or justify that branding but actually it’s deeper than that.

‘I know many efforts have been made to democratise and open up that honours system but it’s still pretty hierarchical of who gets what. There’s a lot more reform that’s needed.’

Furious Britons took to social media to slam the MP – branding her a ‘hypocrite’ and calling for her to hand her OBE back.

Some said her statements devalued the awards given to notable public figures – including footballer and campaigner Marcus Rashford who was made MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list this year for his successful campaign for free meals to be issued during the national lockdown.

Other notable recipients include The Beatles who received MBEs in 1965, and Professor Stephen Hawking who received a CBE in 1982.

Stephen Lawrence’s mother Doreen was made OBE for ‘services to community relations’ in 2003.