Rumbles of discontent this week when the Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien rebuked his British counterpart Tony Blair for approving knighthoods to two British-Canadian citizens.

No such trouble here of course, where the Government promptly waved the green flag, ho-ho, at Dr Tony O'Reilly's knighthood. Sir Anthony hasn't looked back since.

Mr Chretien appears highly sensitive on the matter of title. Two years ago he asked Mr Blair to block a peerage for the Canadian owner of the Daily Telegraph, Conrad Black. Mr Black later renounced his Canadian citizenship.

As owner of the London Independent, Sir Anthony was not forced into a similar move. Noble indeed.