Dishonourable honour

It is utterly astounding that John Scarlett, the author of the 'dodgy dossier' that has led to so much death and destruction in Iraq, has received an honour.

I've always been uncomfortable with the idea that senior civil servants are given honours purely for having done their job for many years, while everyone else has to do something over and above the call of duty.

But the idea that someone is honoured who has clearly failed in the single most important task of their career makes a mockery of the whole system.

Every single person who has served in Iraq has a stronger claim on an honour than John Scarlett.