FOR anyone to be included in the New Years or Birthday honours lists is an unbelievable privilege, with the highest in the land recognising the fantastic achievements of others.

With former Thornbury and Yate MP Steve Webb being honoured with a knighthood, it is no surprise to see that a man who has helped so many in the area receive all manner of praise following the good news, but there are those that would question the need for someone who does their job well to receive any such recognition.

With it becoming so common for sporting stars and other celebrities to reap the rewards of their endeavours, more and more people choose to criticise the legitimacy of the honours, but is the point of the honours not to recognise those that excel at what they do?

Regardless of your opinion on the matter, this does however show how truly fickle politics are, when someone who is being celebrated for all they did in office at a local level, was voted out less than two years ago.