AN MP is calling for the scrapping of the honours system after the New Year list was "sexed-up" to make it more interesting.

Pendle Labour MP Gordon Prentice was appalled by revelations from a whistleblower about the way decisions are taken on knighthoods, peerages, and other awards such as The Order of the British Empire.

At a meeting on October 17, it was decided to add tennis player Tim Henman to the New Year's Honours with an OBE to make it "more interesting" despite the fact he didn't deserve it, said the leak.

TV chief Michael Grade was described as suitable for an honour, but not immediately because of his controversial decisions.

Now Mr Prentice has put down an Early Day Motion on Parliament's daily agenda sent to all MPs, ministers and senior civil servants.

Backed by 11 other Labour backbenchers, it says: "We express deep concern with the capricious nature of the decision-making process which recommends the award of honours as illustrated by the minutes of a meeting of October 17 which considered the forthcoming New Year's Honours list. We believe that honours should not be awarded or withheld on a whim. And we call for a new, open transparent and simplified system with the abolition of all titles forthwith."

Mr Prentice said: "This was real jaw-dropping stuff. It's simply ridiculous that awards of honours are made in this way. The decisions need to be taken properly and scrutinised, not just on the say-so of some civil servants.

"The government has done nothing to deny the claims that Tim Henman was to be included in the list to 'sex it up', and decisions are made by civil servants over which journalists should get knighthoods. This just shows what a whimsical and corrupt system we have and why it should be replaced.

"I am not against honours, but I am against the current system and I am against titles such as lords and sir."

Ribble Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans said allegations that opponents of Tony Blair and New Labour could not be given a gong, ruled out his 81-year-old mother Betty from the honours she richly deserved.