The Spectator

Barometer | 4 August 2016

issue 06 August 2016

Knight falls

There were calls for Sir Philip Green to be stripped of his knighthood. Who is stripped of such an honour? Some past cases:

ROGER CASEMENT, diplomat. Lost knighthood shortly before being executed for treason in 1916, having attempted to negotiate a supply of weapons from the Germans for the Easter Rising

JOSEPH KAGAN, manufacturer of Gannex raincoats and one of Harold Wilson’s favourite businessmen. Stripped of knighthood after a conviction for theft in 1980. He retained his peerage.

ALBERT HENRY, premier of the Cook Islands. Convicted of electoral fraud in 1980.

JACK LYONS, one of ‘Guinness Four’ convicted of share-trading fraud in 1987.

Cancer charts

People diagnosed with cancer are twice as likely still to be alive ten years later as in the 1970s. Death rates from cancer are partly a function of a country’s oncology units — and partly a function of longevity, with more people eventually dying of cancer if they don’t die of something else first. It makes for an unusual league table.
Countries with highest death rate per 100,000 population
Armenia 230
Zimbabwe 210
Hungary 195
Mongolia 181
Serbia 180
Croatia 170
Latvia 167
Denmark 165
Countries with lowest rate
Gabon 51
Niger 53
Gambia 56
Oman 58
Namibia 58
Saudi Arabia 60
Mauritania 61
Cape Verde 61
Source: worldlifeexpectancy.com

Power parks

Two national parks, the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District, were extended. Which are the most-visited national parks in Britain, in terms of visitor-days?
South Downs 39 million
Lake District 24 million
Norfolk Broads 15.5 million
New Forest 13.5 million
Pembrokeshire Coast 13 million
Yorkshire Dales 12.6 million
Peak District 11.8 million
— Northumberland (1.7 million days) and Exmoor (2 million days) are the least-visited. Source: nationalparks.gov.uk
GIF Image

Disagree with half of it, enjoy reading all of it

TRY 3 MONTHS FOR $5
Our magazine articles are for subscribers only. Start your 3-month trial today for just $5 and subscribe to more than one view

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in