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Keith Richards Should Get Knighthood, Says London Mayor

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What with striking Tube drivers and the like, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Boris Johnson, the tonsorially-challenged Mayor of London, had enough on his plate at the moment. But with the New Year honours list just around the corner, it seems that he's found the time to come out in support of Keith Richards by demanding a knighthood for the Rolling Stones guitarist.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Johnson blasts former Prime Minister Tony Blair for knighting Sir Mick Jagger while passing over the man known as the 'Human Riff' saying, "It is a continuing scandal that Keef Richards has not been made, at the very least, a knight bachelor, and the outrage became clear to me this Christmas when -- like so many other men of my generation -- I was sentenced to 'Life.' That is, I was given a copy of Keef's super-selling autobiography of that name; and by the end of my researches I felt the full weight of the injustice."

On the surface of things, Johnson's championing of Richards may seem somewhat misplaced until one considers the Mayor's former membership of the Bullingdon Club, an Oxford University social society dedicated to excessive and, on frequent occasion, destructive behaviour fuelled by vast quantities of alcohol. Other ex-members include Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne.

Johnson goes on to write, "I cannot think of another member of the British artistic, cultural or media world who has done so much or who has so widely penetrated the global consciousness. David Attenborough? Stephen Fry? He knocks them into a cocked hat, to say nothing of the politicians and quangocrats who will cart off the gongs next week. Arise Sir Keef, I say, and if there were any damn merit in it, he would have the Order of Merit, too."

Laudable intentions though one suspects that Richards would take a dim view to such high praise. Famously upset by Jagger's knighthood, the guitarist described it as a "f--king paltry honour." Johnson would probably do better with demanding a life supply set of guitar strings for Richards -- with the bottom E removed, of course.

Keith Richards interview

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Harry James B

Does Boris want to star with me in the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie? Shipwrecked again?

December 30 2010 at 3:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Duggers

What a joke a knighthood had become. So many, like Mick and Keith have spent a lifetime evading, sorry 'avoiding' paying UK income taxes and they get a bloody knighthood. A total joke these days and Jagger must be the most selfish and tightest multi-millionair in the world. Talk about watering down the brand.

December 30 2010 at 2:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
simon

Sir Keith, Sir Jamie, Sir Bruce, Surralan...!!!

What a load of old crap.

Isn't it time we did away with knighthoods? Or at least with the prefixes? And lose the Lord moniker too, unless the govt are so hard uo they need the bribes.

December 30 2010 at 2:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
gordon

He should get it...he fits the bill: Done time, drugs etc. McCartney, Jagger, Father Elton. They all got one with their Cornflakes I reckon.It's all a load of b*llocks really, and quite meaningless. If it was deserving, give it to Ray Davies, who never forgot his roots and never betrayed his class.

December 30 2010 at 12:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John

Hows about boris giving him the freedom of the city and of Eel Pie Island too? (that'll go way past a lot of younger viewers lol but Keith'll know it!)

December 30 2010 at 12:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dave12345

When Mick got his Keith said Mick had let the band down and should have said no. Will Keith now stand up and reject his or will his ego get the better of him.

December 30 2010 at 10:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tony croker.

Mick n keef have been part of my life since i was 14 now i'm 61 still handsome.i like dem guys.I think they should just play music now, drop the singing.Ya just can't beat being British!

December 29 2010 at 3:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to tony croker.'s comment
gumpo

Tony, Either your not 61, or your one of those old men who think they're still 20, Keef,dem guys etc, come on, be real !!

December 30 2010 at 11:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply