Gordon Brown ‘blocked knighthood’ for Apple founder Steve Jobs
March 2nd, 2011 - 12:12 pm ICT by ANI
London, Mar 2 (ANI): Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown apparently blocked an honorary knighthood for Apple founder Steve Jobs.
The then-Prime Minister refused to knight Jobs in 2009 because he turned down an invitation to speak at the Labour Party conference, said a former senior Labour MP.
The MP for services to technology had put Jobs forward for the honour.
“Apple has been the only major global company to create stunning consumer products because it has always taken design as the key component of everything it has produced,” the Telegraph quoted the former MP, who left Parliament at the last election, as saying.
“No other CEO has consistently shown such a commitment,” he said.
Apple was aware of the proposal and it reached the final stages of approval but was rejected by Downing Street, he said.
Jobs was snubbed despite the 2005 award of an honorary knighthood to Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and a long-term rival. His friend Bono, the U2 front man, who collaborated with Apple on a special charity edition iPod, is also an honorary KBE.
The former MP was told by Downing Street that the decision was related to a failed attempt to attract Jobs to Labour’s annual conference. Given his status as a superstar of business and technology, such an appearance would have been viewed as a coup for Brown.
However, a spokeswoman for the former Prime Minister said, “Mr Brown did not block a knighthood for Steve Jobs”. (ANI)
- Jobs demise a great loss: Ratan Tata - Oct 06, 2011
- World says iGrieve as Steve Jobs passes away - Oct 06, 2011
- UN chief pays tribute to Jobs - Oct 07, 2011
- Apple set to launch smaller, lighter iPod Nano - Sep 02, 2010
- Tech legend Steve Jobs quits as Apple CEO - Aug 25, 2011
- Apple will find it hard to replace Steeve 'Cool' Jobs (Comment) - Aug 26, 2011
- The new iPod touch: practically a smartphone - Sep 19, 2010
- Jobs turns loser Apple into a big winner - Oct 06, 2011
- Steve Jobs was an innovative man: PM - Oct 06, 2011
- Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dead at 56 - Oct 06, 2011
- Apple's iPhone 4S sales top four mn in three days - Oct 18, 2011
- Started with borrowed money, Apple becomes world's No. 1 company - Aug 11, 2011
- Apple to drop Google Maps from upcoming mobile platform - May 12, 2012
- Apple's new iWatch can be worn on wrist - Sep 09, 2010
- Gordon Brown' chances of knighthood ruined? - May 16, 2010
Tags: bill gates, bill gates the founder of microsoft, downing street, former prime minister, founder of microsoft, front man, global company, gordon brown, honorary knighthood, honour, invitation, kbe, labour mp, labour party conference, last election, mr brown, prime minister gordon brown, spokeswoman, steve jobs, superstar