No 10 declines to pre-empt honours process after Harry Kane wins Ballon d'Or
Harry Kane won the Ballon d'Or at the London Palladium, the first Englishman to do so in 25 years. Asked about a knighthood, a Downing Street spokeswoman praised him but said she would not pre-empt the honours process.
1 / 3
The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Harry Kane, the England captain and Bayern Munich striker, won the men's Ballon d'Or at a ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday 26 October, becoming the first English winner in 25 years. Evening StandardN “The England and Bayern Munich player became the first English winner in 25 years in a ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday night.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ The GuardianLC “Kane received the award at a ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday night, beating Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Mixed · 2The award is given by the French magazine France Football. Coverage credits it to a 73-goal haul for club and country last season. The last English winner was Michael Owen in 2001. Evening StandardN “Kane’s incredible 73-goal haul last season for club and country earned him the award from French magazine France Football.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ The GuardianLC “The Bayern Munich player is the first Englishman to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Mixed · 2A No 10 spokeswoman said Prime Minister Andy Burnham congratulated Kane. She called the win an "extraordinary achievement" and said Kane "continues to set a brilliant example to young players across the country". She added that the PM hoped there would be "another trophy to celebrate with England before too long". Evening StandardN “To be the first Englishman to win it in 25 years is an extraordinary achievement, and what a moment to do it here at home.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ The GuardianLC “Number 10 said they hoped it would be the prelude to a trophy to celebrate with England “before too long”” Read at The Guardian ↗
Mixed · 2Asked whether the prime minister would like to see Kane knighted, she said "everyone would agree, Harry Kane has given an enormous amount to English football", but added: "as ever, I'm not going to pre-empt the honours process." Evening StandardN “as ever, I’m not going to pre-empt the honours process,” the spokeswoman said.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ The GuardianLC “Asked whether Burnham would like to see Kane receive a knighthood, she said: “I think everyone would agree, Harry Kane has given an enormous amount to English football” Read at The Guardian ↗ Mixed · 2The Guardian and the Evening Standard both headlined this as Downing Street hinting at a knighthood. The Guardian wrote that No 10 "hinted that Harry Kane deserves a knighthood". The Standard wrote that he "could be in the running". The spokeswoman's quoted words did not endorse a knighthood. The GuardianLC “Downing Street has hinted that Harry Kane deserves a knighthood” Read at The Guardian ↗ Evening StandardN “Downing Street has hinted that Harry Kane could be in the running for a knighthood” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Left · 1The Guardian says Burnham cannot decide on a knighthood himself. Ministers, departments and private individuals can make recommendations to the honours committee, and its sport committee includes the presenter Sue Barker and Football Foundation chief executive Robert Sullivan. The GuardianLC “Burnham cannot decide whether to hand Kane a knighthood, but ministers and departments can make recommendations to the honours committee, as can private individuals.” Read at The Guardian ↗
Left · 1Kane holds an MBE, awarded after England reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals. The Guardian notes that players are often not knighted until after retirement. Sir David Beckham and Sir Gareth Southgate received knighthoods last year. Owen and Kevin Keegan have none. The GuardianLC “Kane holds an MBE, awarded after England’s success in reaching the semi-finals in the 2018 World Cup. Players are often not awarded knighthoods until after retirement.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Centre · 1The Standard adds that the win came 70 years after Sir Stanley Matthews won the inaugural award. It says the tribute "is likely to add to the debate" over a knighthood and that the win prompted "fresh calls" for one. Evening StandardN “The Downing Street tribute is likely to add to the debate over whether the England captain should receive a knighthood in recognition of his services to football.”“The highly-coveted footballing accolade prompted fresh calls for the footballing great to be awarded a knighthood.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Political-desk report leading on Downing Street 'hinting' Kane deserves a knighthood, then explaining how honours work.
- Emphasis
- The mechanics of the honours system, who can recommend, precedents (Beckham, Southgate, Dalglish) and Euros 2028 hopes.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the 'fresh calls' for a knighthood or fan sentiment reported by the Standard.
- Charged language
- “Arise, Sir Harry?”
- For example
-
“Downing Street has hinted that Harry Kane deserves a knighthood” — The Guardian
“Burnham cannot decide whether to hand Kane a knighthood” — The Guardian
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on the No 10 knighthood 'hint' and on public speculation, with a celebratory tone about Kane's achievement.
- Emphasis
- The spokeswoman's praise, Kane's career and fan appetite for an honour.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives little on how the honours process works or on the precedent that players are often knighted after retirement.
- Charged language
- “Arise Sir Harry?”“Speculation spirals”“footballing great”
- For example
-
“Speculation spirals over a knighthood for Harry Kane” — Evening Standard
“Downing Street has hinted that Harry Kane could be in the running for a knighthood” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Kane won the Ballon d'Or at the London Palladium on Monday night.
- He is the first Englishman to win it in 25 years, since Michael Owen in 2001.
- A No 10 spokeswoman congratulated him on behalf of Andy Burnham but said she would not pre-empt the honours process.
Where accounts differ
-
How strongly No 10 signalled support for a knighthood
- Left
- The Guardian says Downing Street hinted Kane 'deserves' a knighthood.
- Centre
- The Standard says No 10 hinted he 'could be in the running'; its quoted spokeswoman declined to pre-empt the process.
Harry Kane person
Kane is the winner and is praised by Downing Street. The coverage quotes nothing from him on a knighthood.
“Kane received the award at a ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday night” — The Guardian
Left2 articles
-
Arise, Sir Harry? Downing Street hints at Kane knighthood after Ballon d’Or win
Neutral Reports the 'hint' but adds context on who decides honours and precedents for footballers.
-
Centre2 articles
-
No 10 hints at Harry Kane knighthood after Ballon d’Or win
Neutral Short news report on the No 10 statement, with the 'hint' headline set against the spokeswoman's refusal to pre-empt honours.
-
Arise Sir Harry? PM answers call for Kane's knighthood after Ballon d'Or triumph
Celebratory Longer piece that stresses speculation and fan hopes for a knighthood and praises Kane's career.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 27 Oct 13:06 First Evening StandardN No 10 hints at Harry Kane knighthood after Ballon d’Or win
- 27 Oct 13:40 +34m Evening StandardN Arise Sir Harry? PM answers call for Kane's knighthood after Ballon d'Or triumph
- 27 Oct 14:25 +1h 19m The GuardianLC Arise, Sir Harry? Downing Street hints at Kane knighthood after Ballon d’Or win
- 27 Oct 15:03 +1h 57m MetroLC Harry Kane ‘could be knighted’ after Balloon d’Or win
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…