Bono’s knighthood

If there is any doubt that Bono is an establishment figure – and there really should not be – then his honorary knighthood should erase it. Tony Blair’s open letter to the U2 lead singer, on the official Number 10 website, is particularly telling. It confirms the key role Bono played in selling the official “make poverty history” agenda to the public:

“I want personally to thank you for the invaluable role you played in the run up to the Gleneagles G8 Summit. Without your personal contribution, we could not have achieved the results we did. So thank you and I look forward to continuing to work together to maintain momentum on Africa, and ensure leaders around the world meet the promises they have made.”

Bono was awarded a Legion D’Honneur from the French government in 2003 while Bob Geldof, his follow Irish musician and anti-poverty campaigner, received an honorary knighthood in 1986 for his work with Live Aid.