Medals for all

It's the Queen's summer birthday, and so she's ladled out a bunch of honours, including a CBE for Michael Eavis who certainly deserves it for the work he's done for Glastonbury over the years. I do give the festival quite a hard time (a hard time we feel is equally deserved), and do feel it's a shame that the festival has shifted so far from its early ideals that the question 'should the man who organises Glastonbury be accepting an award from the establishment' would probably just get me looked at in a funny way. You do wonder if the event was still giving cash to CND he'd have accepted an award from a government hell-bent on replacing Trident so soon after showering depleted uranium down on the heads of Iraqi civilians, mind.

Also getting letters from the Queen have been:

Joe Cocker, who gets an OBE and a visit to the Palace sometime this year where, after an awkward pause, he'll have to say "No, Ma'am, I was A Little Help From My Friends, not Common People";

Emma Kirkby, classical soprano, who is now a Dame;

Barrie Humphries, who has released more than one single as Dame Edna - most recently, we seem to remember, The Theme From Neighbours - becomes a CBE;

Ian Botham - now Sir Ian - was part of the bizarre BeeGees related cricketing rabbit troupe The Bunburys, whose debut record, We Are The Bunburys is still, we understand, awaiting a follow-up.

Bill Pertwee, who's got an MBE, we're sure also once made a record (not counting the releases of Round The Horne and Dad's Army) - or did we just imagine that?

Noel Gallagher might be a little upset to be overlooked, but remember - there's going to be another slew of honours in a couple of week when Blair compiles his Lavender List, so there's still a chance, Noelie.