The Independent's Good List 2006: 50 people who make the UK a better place

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1. Camilla Batmanghelidjh, Founder Of Kids Company
2. Abdul Bari, Muslim Leader
3. Andrew Linzey, Animal Rights Moralist
4. Anne Owers, Hm Inspector Of Prisons
5. Benjamin Zephaniah, Poet
6. Bob Geldof, Global Activist
7. Bob Holman, Community Worker
8. Bruce Kent, Anti-War Activist
9. Chris Patten, Politician
10. Clive Stafford Smith, Death Row Lawyer
11. Donald Findlater, Pioneer In Paedophile Treatment
12. Gareth Pierce, Solicitor
13. Gordon Conway, Applied Ecologist
14. Indarjit Singh, Sikh Leader
15. Jill Pitkeathley, Carers' Champion
16. John Bell, Peace Activist And Hymn-Writer
17. John Harris, Bioethicist
18. John Houghton, Meteorologist
19. Jon Snow, Broadcaster
20. Jonathon Porritt, Eco Activist
21. Justin Forsyth, Poverty Strategist
22. Ken Loach, Film-Maker
23. Ken Newell and Gerry Reynolds, Northern Ireland Peace Activists
24. Kevin Watkins, Anti-Poverty Researcher
25. Laurie Pycroft, Animal-Testing Campaigner
26. Lionel Blue, Rabbi
27. Mark Malloch Brown, UN Official
28. Martin Dent and Bill Peters, Debt Campaigners
29. Mohammed Mandini, Founder Of The Muslim Youth Helpline
30. Niall Fitzgerald, Businessman
31. Nick Hardwick, Refugees' Champion
32. Ann Pettifor, Debt Campaigner
33. Phil Sumner, Community Worker
34. Philip Pullman, Children's Writer
35. Richard Adams, Father Of The Fairtrade Movement
36. Richard Curtis, Comedy Scriptwriter And Global Campaigner
37. Richard Harries, Moralist
38. Robert Chambers, Anti-Poverty Guru
39. Sheila Cassidy, Palliative Care Pioneer
40. Shirley Williams, Politician
41. Sister Frances, Founder Of The World'S First Children'S Hospice
42. Tariq Ramadan, Islamic Reformer
43. Timothy Radcliffe, Dominican Friar
44. Tom Shakespeare, Disability Activist
45. David Attenborough, Television Naturalist
46. Shami Chakrabarti, Civil Rights Campaigner
47. Gee Walker, Mother
48. Jean Vanier, Champion Of The Disabled
49. John Sulston, Scientist
50. Peter Tatchell, Gay Rights Campaigner

alphabetical list bar the #1

part of me wouldn't mind a Bad List equivalent but 'demonising' people in that way probably not v sensible (fun tho)*

anyone take issue with the inclusion of any of the 50?

or submit your own personal choices (ideally with reasons)

*unless it's Alex Petridis or Melanie Phillips

― konaldoddz, Friday, 1 September 2006 13:35 (seventeen years ago) link

link here

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 13:36 (seventeen years ago) link

Richard Curtis obv

― DG, Friday, 1 September 2006 13:37 (seventeen years ago) link

is that your personal choice or are you protesting his inclusion?

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 13:38 (seventeen years ago) link

taking exception, i mean teh girl in teh cafe?

― DG, Friday, 1 September 2006 13:38 (seventeen years ago) link

Political correctness gone mad. Jon Snow, Broadcaster, why exactly? I mean he does make me chuckle when he does that thing when he starts sentences and then realises halfway thru that he doesn't know where he's going with it... also that exclusive first-ever live interview with the Iranian foreign minister a few weeks ago was comedy gold

― Samuel K.B. Amphong (Dada), Friday, 1 September 2006 13:41 (seventeen years ago) link

Jon Snow does a lot work for charidee, they say (as does Curtis obv)

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 13:46 (seventeen years ago) link

yes we need more 'global campaigners', especially now that there is no more poverty thanks to bob geldof

― DG, Friday, 1 September 2006 13:48 (seventeen years ago) link

ROBIN CARMODY, mah homies.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ IN THA HIZZOUSE, Friday, 1 September 2006 13:51 (seventeen years ago) link

51. Jilted John
52. Thom Yorke
53. Arthur Scargill
54. Ant
55. Davina McColl

― M Grout (Mark Grout), Friday, 1 September 2006 13:52 (seventeen years ago) link

17. John Harris, Bioethicist

And here's me thinking he was just a crap music writer.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 1 September 2006 13:53 (seventeen years ago) link

laughable. words fail me. bob fucking geldof. ken bloody loach.

― Enrique by Proxy, Friday, 1 September 2006 13:53 (seventeen years ago) link

Davina McCall

That's not funny

― Samuel K.B. Amphong (Dada), Friday, 1 September 2006 13:54 (seventeen years ago) link

why so many god-botherers, for starters?

― Enrique by Proxy, Friday, 1 September 2006 13:55 (seventeen years ago) link

Abdul Bari, Muslim Leader

A Muslim leader who makes anywhere a better place? There's a first.

― Samuel K.B. Amphong (Dada), Friday, 1 September 2006 13:55 (seventeen years ago) link

No Jimmy Savile?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 1 September 2006 13:56 (seventeen years ago) link

36. Richard Curtis, Comedy Scriptwriter And Global Campaigner

Say it isn't so! Is he just atoneing for Hugh Grant?

― M Grout (Mark Grout), Friday, 1 September 2006 13:57 (seventeen years ago) link

What does he campaign for? Academy Awards?

― Samuel K.B. Amphong (Dada), Friday, 1 September 2006 13:58 (seventeen years ago) link

no dizzee, no credibility

― tynan deshlong (nklshs), Friday, 1 September 2006 13:59 (seventeen years ago) link

i'm surprised at no dizzee, too; he's better off out of it.

― Enrique by Proxy, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:02 (seventeen years ago) link

66. Ken Dragonara, Car-boot sale Car-park usher (pointing left)

― M Grout (Mark Grout), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:03 (seventeen years ago) link

Dizzee? Who he?

― Yesterday Has Gone (nostudium), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:03 (seventeen years ago) link

what a cynical bunch!

(am i talking about you lot or the list? who knows anymore!)

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:03 (seventeen years ago) link

Curtis - the writer of TV series such as Blackadder and films like Four Weddings and a Funeral - was the co-founder of Comic Relief ,which has raised £337m for disadvantaged people in Africa and for the UK. He then launched the Make Poverty History campaign on BBC 1 on New Year's Day 2005 with a special edition of his The Vicar of Dibley. Dedicating a year to the campaign, he made the BBC/HBO film The Girl in the Café to highlight aid, debt and trade issues. He devised the political messaging of the Live8 concerts that were seen globally, except in Britain where they were banned by the BBC. It was Curtis who gave Make Poverty History its compelling demotic voice.

If only he did the noble-global campaigning all the time instead of writing the terrible comedy shows/films.

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:05 (seventeen years ago) link

dizzee's past-it-ness as a reference point is precisely why i'm surprised the indie didn't pick him.

― Enrique by Proxy, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:05 (seventeen years ago) link

he made the BBC/HBO film The Girl in the Café

Add that to his growing list of crimes against humanity

― Samuel K.B. Amphong (Dada), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:06 (seventeen years ago) link

62. Credit to the Nation, a credit to the nation.

― M Grout (Mark Grout), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:07 (seventeen years ago) link

Lily Allen
The guy from the Cillit Bang ads
My mate Mark

― beanz-ii (beanz), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:08 (seventeen years ago) link

In what way does Bob Geldof make the UK a better place?
Listing Clive Stafford Smith as "death row lawyer" implies that his services to the UK are minimal, given that we don't actually HAVE a death row.
Chris Patten - wtf? Gets booted out of parliament in an election, gets a cushy governorship number then given a peerage. This makes UK better how?

I stopped reading after that.

― nu_onimo (nu_onimo), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:09 (seventeen years ago) link

I think some of these descriptions are wrong anyway. John Harris obv. but it should also read:

6. Bob Geldof, Comedian

The News Of The World are going to publish the list also but at 50 it will be:

50. Peter Tatchell, GAY Gay Rights Campaigner

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:10 (seventeen years ago) link

Jean Vanier, Champion Of The Disabled

This makes me giggle

― Samuel K.B. Amphong (Dada), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:11 (seventeen years ago) link

I was wrong to put 'make the UK a better place' - apologies. The Independent article has it as ' Fifty men and women who make our world a better place', but this is also seems wrong as the list is so Brit-centric.

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:11 (seventeen years ago) link

yeah isn't chris patten big dog at oxford now?

and thus presiding over its privatization?

how is that making anyone's life better?

xpost

if it's "make our world a better place" then the list is literally insane

― Proxy Fule (Proxy Fule), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:12 (seventeen years ago) link

Patten is proof that you can paddle around in the murky world of politics and still do good. As Conservative Party chairman he may have run a fairly dirty general election campaign and been the minister responsible for the disastrous Poll Tax, but the good far outweighs the ill in his career. He was an excellent Minister for Overseas Development in the days when it was a job nobody wanted. As the final British Governor of Hong Kong he introduced reforms to make the colony more democratic before its handover. In Northern Ireland he made policing fairer. As a European Commissioner he pushed for the EU to be more accountable. As Chancellor of Oxford University he has championed academic freedom. His is a career which reminds us that the title of "public servant" can still be an honourable calling.

I'm pulling these from the link upthread - if you want explanations for the inclusions.

I never thought ANYTHING could outweigh the Poll Tax!

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:13 (seventeen years ago) link

That last sentence is also seems wrong. xpost back...

― M Grout (Mark Grout), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:13 (seventeen years ago) link

BATMAN IS TEH NUMBER ONEZzZz

― DG, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:14 (seventeen years ago) link

As the final British Governor of Hong Kong he introduced reforms to make the colony more democratic before its handover.

Handover to that fine progressive model of democracy China, I think they mean.

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:14 (seventeen years ago) link

Chris Patten = Tory = SCUMBAG

― Samuel K.B. Amphong (Dada), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:15 (seventeen years ago) link

the patten puff is bizonkers.

xpost

OTM

― Proxy Fule (Proxy Fule), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:16 (seventeen years ago) link

Batman proves that despite having NO SPECIAL POWERS you can still be classed as a 'super-hero' just by having lots of money, a huge grudge to bear and a rather eccentric and might I say somewhat perverse personality. A shining example for us all, although surely it's time he traded in all those wonderful toys and vehicles for a course in diplomatic negotiations and an Oyster card.

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:16 (seventeen years ago) link

The Independent's Top 50 Films Of All Time:

1. Sammy and Rosie Get Laid

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:17 (seventeen years ago) link

His is a career which reminds us that the title of "caped crusader" can still be an honourable calling.

― nu_onimo (nu_onimo), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:17 (seventeen years ago) link

In Northern Ireland he made policing ~~fairer~~thorough.

fixed

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:18 (seventeen years ago) link

51. Chris Martin
52. Pete Doherty

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:19 (seventeen years ago) link

The Independent's Top 50 Films Of All Time:

2. Fuckin' 'Cinema Paradiso'
3. 'Secrets and Lies'

― Proxy Fule (Proxy Fule), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:20 (seventeen years ago) link

His is a career which reminds us that the title of "celebrity junkie" can still be an honourable calling.
xpost

― nu_onimo (nu_onimo), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:20 (seventeen years ago) link

53. Billy Bragg
54. Frank Bruno
55. The Bloke Out Of JoBoxers
56. Mick Talbot
57. Jimmy Somerville
58. Jazzie B
59. Gary Crowley
60. Guru Josh

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:21 (seventeen years ago) link

61. Paul Daniels

― nu_onimo (nu_onimo), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:23 (seventeen years ago) link

62. Jim Davison

― nu_onimo (nu_onimo), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:23 (seventeen years ago) link

How did we get on to David Cameron's celebrity A list all of a sudden?

Ah well:
63. Marco Pierre White
64. Carol Vorderman
65. Graham Norton
66. Ben Elton
67. Charlotte Church
68. Michael Winner
69. Jimmy "O-Ho" Tarbuck
70. Woman Out Of Dragon's Den

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:25 (seventeen years ago) link

71. The classic English bobby on the beat
72. Hackney schoolgirl playing Ray J on her phone and singing along
73. Cerne Abbas giant
74. Michael Caine

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:26 (seventeen years ago) link

Donald Findlater, Pioneer In Paedophile Treatment

Ha ha, I just noticed that one! I think this craze for alternative therapies is getting a little out of hand...

― Samuel K.B. Amphong (Dada), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:26 (seventeen years ago) link

76. Hartley Hare

― M Grout (Mark Grout), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:27 (seventeen years ago) link

77. Fred Dibnah
78. Fred Dineage
79. Fred Deleted
80. Ricky Gervais
81. DJ Martian

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:28 (seventeen years ago) link

37. Richard Harries, Moralist

i would like to be a Moralist.

― Proxy Fule (Proxy Fule), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:28 (seventeen years ago) link

Daily Mail headline tomorrow, no doubt...
82. Ashley Cole
83. Girls Aloud
84. Mike McGear
85. Steve Beresford
86. Dale Winton
87. Duncan Norvelle

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:28 (seventeen years ago) link

Ha ha, I just noticed that one! I think this craze for alternative therapies is getting a little out of hand...

It's neo-Cockney slang. "Oooh me paedos are giving me grief today I can tell ya"

― kd, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:29 (seventeen years ago) link

Hold on, WHERE'S MS. DYNAMITE???!??!?!

― Samuel K.B. Amphong (Dada), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:30 (seventeen years ago) link

88. Diana Queen of Hearts

― nu_onimo (nu_onimo), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:30 (seventeen years ago) link

Sorry, though you said dynatunnel

― nu_onimo (nu_onimo), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:31 (seventeen years ago) link

89. Henri Paul

Hah! First!

― M Grout (Mark Grout), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:31 (seventeen years ago) link

90. Mohammed Al-Fayed

― Samuel K.B. Amphong (Dada), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:32 (seventeen years ago) link

91. Elton John Plus Or Minus Kiki Dee

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 1 September 2006 14:32 (seventeen years ago) link

92. June Sarpong

― DG, Friday, 1 September 2006 14:46 (seventeen years ago) link

No Ruth Badger, no credibility.

― Dom Passantino (DomPassantino), Saturday, 2 September 2006 22:14 (seventeen years ago) link

anyone take issue with the inclusion of any of the 50?

Only 1 - 49.

― DavidM (DavidM), Sunday, 3 September 2006 17:21 (seventeen years ago) link

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