The Sun on Sunday has revealed that more than 400 public figures are on a secret honours "blacklist" maintained by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) because of their tax affairs. According to the newspaper, HMRC officials have placed 33 individuals in a "high risk" category and judged a further 377 as "medium risk".
How the honours vetting process works
An official transparency release from HMRC explained the role of the tax authority in the honours system. It stated: "The Honours and Appointments Secretariat may ask HMRC to advise about any potential risk posed to the Government and the Crown by honours candidates in respect of their tax affairs. Checks are requested on a proportionate basis, taking account of the level of the honour and individual's profile."
Honours are nominated by members of the public and then scrutinised by committees overseen by the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office consults HMRC, which checks whether there are any reasons not to honour an individual and raises "red flags" towards any final decision. The final list is then sent to the Prime Minister for approval before honours are formally awarded by the King.
Rory McIlroy snub linked to tax intervention
The emergence of the list comes months after The Telegraph reported that golfer Rory McIlroy was omitted from the New Year Honours list following an intervention by tax officials. McIlroy, who has been named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, was described as the most surprising omission from that list.
Speaking at a press conference in June, McIlroy addressed the controversy over his tax affairs. Asked whether his financial situation had affected his chances of receiving an honour, he said: "I have no idea. If that honour were bestowed on me one day, that would be amazing, but yeah, I have no idea."
Government response and next steps
A Labour Party government spokesperson responded to the revelations, saying: "Our role is to provide a low, medium or high tax-risk assessment, when requested, to inform the honours process. The main honours committee takes into account the risk rating alongside other information to decide whether to recommend the award of an honour."
The disclosure raises questions about how tax compliance is weighed in the selection of honours candidates, with the risk ratings now part of the public record. Further details on how the list was compiled or which individuals feature on it have not yet been published.
