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

link here

Richard Curtis obv

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

taking exception, i mean teh girl in teh cafe?

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

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

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

ROBIN CARMODY, mah homies.

51. Jilted John

52. Thom Yorke

53. Arthur Scargill

54. Ant

55. Davina McColl

17. John Harris, Bioethicist

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

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

Davina McCall

That’s not funny

why so many god-botherers, for starters?

Abdul Bari, Muslim Leader

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

No Jimmy Savile?


36. Richard Curtis, Comedy Scriptwriter And Global Campaigner

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

What does he campaign for? Academy Awards?

no dizzee, no credibility

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

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

Dizzee? Who he?

what a cynical bunch!

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

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.

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

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

Add that to his growing list of crimes against humanity

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

Lily Allen

The guy from the Cillit Bang ads

My mate Mark

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.

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

Jean Vanier, Champion Of The Disabled

This makes me giggle

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.

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

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!

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

BATMAN IS TEH NUMBER ONEZzZz

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.

Chris Patten = Tory = SCUMBAG

the patten puff is bizonkers.

xpost

OTM

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.

The Independent’s Top 50 Films Of All Time:

1. Sammy and Rosie Get Laid

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

In Northern Ireland he made policing fairerthorough.

fixed

51. Chris Martin

52. Pete Doherty

The Independent’s Top 50 Films Of All Time:

2. Fuckin’ ‘Cinema Paradiso’

3. ‘Secrets and Lies’

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

xpost

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

61. Paul Daniels

62. Jim Davison

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

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

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...

76. Hartley Hare

77. Fred Dibnah

78. Fred Dineage

79. Fred Deleted

80. Ricky Gervais

81. DJ Martian

37. Richard Harries, Moralist

i would like to be a Moralist.

Daily Mail headline tomorrow, no doubt...

82. Ashley Cole

83. Girls Aloud

84. Mike McGear

85. Steve Beresford

86. Dale Winton

87. Duncan Norvelle

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”

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

88. Diana Queen of Hearts

Sorry, though you said dynatunnel

89. Henri Paul

Hah! First!

90. Mohammed Al-Fayed

91. Elton John Plus Or Minus Kiki Dee

92. June Sarpong

No Ruth Badger, no credibility.

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

Only 1—49.