This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/22/team-gb-olympians-in-line-for-honours
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Team GB Olympians in line for honours | Team GB Olympians in line for honours |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Theresa May has opened the door to the possibility of a Sir Mo and a Dame Laura Trott after Downing Street indicated that an extended number of honours would be handed out to recognise the “phenomenal” achievements of Britain’s Olympians. | |
| The prime minister’s spokeswoman said there was no formal cap on the number of honours that could be distributed, and insisted that the success of Team GB in Rio de Janeiro amounted to “special circumstances”. | The prime minister’s spokeswoman said there was no formal cap on the number of honours that could be distributed, and insisted that the success of Team GB in Rio de Janeiro amounted to “special circumstances”. |
| “There is guidance given by the Cabinet Office year to year on ballpark figures,” she said. “But where there are special circumstances and high numbers of deserving people the committees in government will look at that. They should be recognising and rewarding great achievements and my goodness we’ve had that in the last two weeks.” | “There is guidance given by the Cabinet Office year to year on ballpark figures,” she said. “But where there are special circumstances and high numbers of deserving people the committees in government will look at that. They should be recognising and rewarding great achievements and my goodness we’ve had that in the last two weeks.” |
| The Queen also hailed Team GB’s success. The monarch, who is on her annual summer break in Balmoral, said: “I offer my warmest congratulations to the athletes of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Commonwealth for their success at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. | The Queen also hailed Team GB’s success. The monarch, who is on her annual summer break in Balmoral, said: “I offer my warmest congratulations to the athletes of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Commonwealth for their success at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. |
| “The outstanding performance of Team GB reflects the talent and hard work of the athletes and their support teams. I send my best wishes to all those who contributed to this remarkable achievement.” | “The outstanding performance of Team GB reflects the talent and hard work of the athletes and their support teams. I send my best wishes to all those who contributed to this remarkable achievement.” |
| The PM’s spokeswoman said May had been following the success in Rio closely from her walking holiday in Switzerland, and was extremely proud to see the team surpass its achievements at London 2012. To “become the first country to ever achieve that at the next away games, is a great achievement”. | The PM’s spokeswoman said May had been following the success in Rio closely from her walking holiday in Switzerland, and was extremely proud to see the team surpass its achievements at London 2012. To “become the first country to ever achieve that at the next away games, is a great achievement”. |
| She said there were already plans in place to honour the success with a parade in Manchester and an event in London. | She said there were already plans in place to honour the success with a parade in Manchester and an event in London. |
| May now wants “to see the country get behind our Paralympians in the way we got behind Olympians”, the spokeswoman said. | May now wants “to see the country get behind our Paralympians in the way we got behind Olympians”, the spokeswoman said. |
| “We’ve had an amazing fortnight at the Rio Olympics and we should be looking at the different ways we can recognise and reward the athletes for what they’ve achieved and honours are there to recognise people,” she added, hinting that the prizes would be announced in a New Year honours list. | “We’ve had an amazing fortnight at the Rio Olympics and we should be looking at the different ways we can recognise and reward the athletes for what they’ve achieved and honours are there to recognise people,” she added, hinting that the prizes would be announced in a New Year honours list. |
| There is already intense speculation that Mo Farah, Nicola Adams, Laura Trott and Jason Kenny could be in line for rewards following an impressive medal haul including 27 golds. | There is already intense speculation that Mo Farah, Nicola Adams, Laura Trott and Jason Kenny could be in line for rewards following an impressive medal haul including 27 golds. |
| The results amount to the best GB Olympic performance since 1908 and the best “away Games” ever. | The results amount to the best GB Olympic performance since 1908 and the best “away Games” ever. |
| The spokeswoman said it would not just be athletes in line for rewards but also “all those people that helped us to get where we were on the medals table”, including coaches and others. | The spokeswoman said it would not just be athletes in line for rewards but also “all those people that helped us to get where we were on the medals table”, including coaches and others. |
| She said the government would invest even more in the Olympians heading to Tokyo in 2020 than in those who had performed in Rio. | She said the government would invest even more in the Olympians heading to Tokyo in 2020 than in those who had performed in Rio. |
| And she dismissed the idea that the resignation list from the previous prime minister, David Cameron, had brought the system into disrepute. “The fact that many people seem to be calling for our Olympians to be recognised with honours, means there is still belief in the value of the system.” | And she dismissed the idea that the resignation list from the previous prime minister, David Cameron, had brought the system into disrepute. “The fact that many people seem to be calling for our Olympians to be recognised with honours, means there is still belief in the value of the system.” |
| Team GB’s medal winners from Rio can expect an invitation to Buckingham Palace in the autumn. The Queen hosted a reception for the heroes of London 2012 and is likely to do the same for the stars of the 2016 Games. | Team GB’s medal winners from Rio can expect an invitation to Buckingham Palace in the autumn. The Queen hosted a reception for the heroes of London 2012 and is likely to do the same for the stars of the 2016 Games. |
| The Queen’s message follows one from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, who declared the athletes had “made the entire country proud”. | The Queen’s message follows one from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, who declared the athletes had “made the entire country proud”. |