Ring of Tory donors ‘line pals up’ for knighthoods and honours in “Gong-Go-Round” | donors who have given the party more than £3m have been handed foreign knighthoods and honorary doctorates by the same circle of businessmen – deeply rooted in Conservative social circles
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> The same three men have been given knighthoods from the Republic of San Marino, honorary doctorates from Bolton university and sit on the board of Regent University London. And a further four Tory donors and MPs have been given honours by both San Marino and Bolton.
> Some of the group, nicknamed the “Gong-Go-Round” by one insider, shared a £3,000 table at last week’s Conservative Party Spring Lunch.
> And several key figures in the clique shared a table at the notorious ‘President’s Club’ dinner – a ‘Men only’ event, where female staff were told to wear skimpy black outfits and reported being groped by diners.
Interestingly, the group includes:
> [Andrew Rosindell MP](https://nitter.net/brand_Le4der/status/1527203225702629376#m)
> Knight of St Agatha
> Chair of San Marino APPG
We learn:
> Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs, was given an honorary degree by Bolton University in 2018 – before visiting San Marino last year on a £2,433 trip paid for by the country’s consulate.
> It was arranged by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for San Marino, chaired by Tory MP Andrew Rosindell – also a Knight of St Agatha.
Some days ago Rosindell’s office was not answering queries, so well done *Mirror* for getting the scoop on this fine bunch of dignitaries.
Knighthoods I can kinda get but what do you get for an honorary doctorate ? Can you still use the fancy letters after or before your name ?
Also why do we even honour people with fake doctorates ?
If I was to give the right people enough money will they make me a doctor of something incredibly stupid like doctor of elasticity?
Pretty much as expected.
Is anyone surprised? I thought this sort of thing was an open secret. Stop assuming the best of politicians folks, and you wont get shocked
£3 million that is reported, surely the Tories are selling us out for more than that.
As a PhD candidate I fucking despise honorary doctorates
If I was in charge, I’d scrap all this shit, it’s positively feudal anyway.
If you want to be recognised for doing something, well do something good and maybe people will notice.