Petition · past parliament · Cabinet Office

Reform the UK honours system to remove references to Empire

Closed 261 signatures

What the petition asks

Rename those honours which incorporate Empire in their names and introduce replacement names which are a more appropriate reflection of modern Britain.
References to the UK Empire ignore the historical context in which the Empire was created and the exploitation of both the people and resources of the countries which were part of it. Its existence enriched the UK at the expense of these people and countries and its impact persists to the present.

It is now widely recognised that the Empire is not something to be celebrated. To continue to reference it when honouring people today is not just inappropriate, but insulting.

Timeline

7 Jul 2020 Petition opened for signatures
7 Jan 2021 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 261
Status Closed
Department Cabinet Office
Opened 7 Jul 2020
Closed 7 Jan 2021

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.