Glittering prizes

Bhikhu Parekh, professor of political theory at the University of Hull, was given the BBC's special lifetime achievement award in the Asian Success, Innovation and Achievement Awards for 1999.

The London School of Economics has conferred honorary fellowships on: Mary Robinson, UN high commissioner for human rights; Lord Irvine of Lairg, the Lord Chancellor; Sir Patrick Gillam, chairman of Standard Chartered plc; Peter Hennessy, professor of contemporary history, Queen Mary and Westfield College; Sir Richard Wilson, secretary of the Cabinet and head of the home civil service and Keith Mackrell, chairman of Enterprise LSE.

The University of Westminster has awarded honorary degrees to Richard Abel, UCLA professsor of law, (DIur); Cherie Booth QC, (DIur); Keith Kirkham, University of Westminster governor, (DSc); Terence Wright, Kodak director of research, (DSc); Peter Brooke MP, (DLitt); Sir Anthony Caro, sculptor, (DLitt); Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge, British Airways chairman, (DLitt); Trevor Phillips, broadcaster, (DLitt); Zandra Rhodes, fashion designer, (DLitt); Timothy West, actor, (DLitt) and John Woodward, Film Council chief executive officer, (DLitt). An honorary fellowship goes to Isobel White, retired lecturer in human resource management at the university.