"premature and self-congratulatory"?

The Times reports that:

"The Treasury’s top official, who was at the helm during the boom before the credit crunch, has been knighted for his role in dealing with Britain’s deepening financial crisis.

The move, as the pound plunged to a record low against the euro and after another slide in house prices, prompted protests that the honour was premature and self-congratulatory.

...

Critics said that Nick Macpherson, the Permanent Secretary at the Treasury and on an annual salary of £196,400, had been knighted while it was still too early to claim that the £500 billion banking bailout was a success. Sir Nick, 49, a close ally of the Prime Minister, was appointed in 2005 and was in charge of the Treasury at the height of the lending boom.

He oversaw attempts to sell and then nationalise Northern Rock when it collapsed last year and played a central role in moves to take government stakes in stricken high street banks in October."

Gordon Brown rewarding failure, how apt for a man who has been a failure as Chancellor of the Exchequer and a total failure as Prime Minister.