THE honours list drawn up by the retiring Prime Minister David Cameron (“Cameron condemned over honours for party ‘cronies’”, The Herald, August 1) is a disgrace to the British democratic system, and yet one more indication of the patronage and cronyism which seems to be endemic in Westminster and Whitehall.

Why should it be in the gift of one man to hand out more than half-a-dozen knighthoods to millionaire supporters of his own political party and government ministers in the same party? Why should a bunch of insignificant spin doctors, pen-pushers, chauffeurs and even hair stylists be able to put letters after their name simply for doing their jobs, which no doubt provided handsome salaries and perks, with generous pensions from the public purse when they retire?

Most important of all, what does this say to the many ordinary citizens who have finally received minor honours after many years of devoted service in a wide range of charitable activities and public services? The recognition of such dedicated selfless work on behalf of others is surely denigrated by the doling out of similar or even higher awards to those fortunate enough to have been in the “inner circle” of government service?

Following his disastrous decision to appease his own party by offering a referendum on EU membership with its disastrous outcome, this final arrogant act of David Cameron’s premiership will do nothing to redeem his failed reputation in the judgment of history.

Iain AD Mann

7 Kelvin Court, Glasgow.

VIRGINIA Woolf was "terrified of passive acquiescence"; Martin Luther King Junior warned that "acquiescence leads to moral and spiritual suicide", and Leonardo da Vinci believed that "Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence." What then to make of public reaction to David Cameron's “leaked” honours List? Will the massed gorge of so-called ordinary citizens rise to such proportions that those who live in the highly aerated parallel universes of politics, royalty, celebrity and the like will actually take notice, let alone change their ways? In the parlance of those masses: "Dream on". As a society we are simply too well off; too cushioned from the slings and arrows of the kinds of poverty, want and crushing authority that make us baulk when the tea-time adverts exposing such humanitarian outrages interrupt our take-away tTVdinner trays.

Yes, there is the indignity of foodbanks in this brave new world of ours. But we do have foodbanks. The foodbanks of many in the world are the flea-ridden, diseased slag heaps of wealthy over-consumption. We have water in abundance that allows us to use innumerable gallons of that natural resource simply to brush our teeth. Our fellow humans in many parched areas of the planet have none to speak of ... or what they do have is so polluted by the toxic effluent of “the haves” that such “have nots” perish in its poisonousness. Our cast-off clothing becomes the normal wear for many in the third world; our past-its-sell-by-date food parcels humbly wend their way round the world to those whose very existence is of the out-of-date kind. We “enjoy” a democratic way of life, that worst of all types of government except all the other ways, denied to millions across the globe. Need I go on?

So, do not rant of misplaced, undeserved honours and cronyism. Don't speak to me of your outrage and offended moral decency when those who have, needlessly get more. I share your despair at such egregious elitism and downright arrogance but I ask that you raise your eyes, heart, mind and soul in practical awareness of the infinitely more degenerate excesses of avarice, sloth, naked power-grabbing and rampant egoism that afflict us all today.

Gerard McCulloch,

27 Moffat Wynd, Saltcoats.

DAVID Cameron's resignation honours list held little surprise as friends, colleagues and Remainers all are to receive a gong. However, what about Larry (the Downing Street cat)? He will be gutted not to be elevated to the House of Lords.

Roddy MacDonald,

1 Glenmount Place, Ayr.