The Order of the British Empire goes booom?

Rastafarian poet Benjamin Zephaniah refused the honour bestowed upon him, claiming the «empire» is immaterial today and a mere and sad remembrance of colonialism. This was the first public figure to dare speak his mind, so now we know the likes of Vanessa Redgrave, David Bowie, Graham Greene, J.G. Ballard, John le Carré, David Hockney, have politely declined the Order. Blair has appointed an official to preside over much needed reformation on the system.