Gordon Brown Blocked Jobs Knighthood Over Snub

Steve Jobs came thiiiis close to being an honorary knight—before then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown stepped in and put the kibosh on his nomination, one former lawmaker tells the Telegraph. What had Jobs done to earn the honor? Why make nifty-looking gadgets,
of course!

The lawmaker said he recommended Jobs in 2009, citing Apple’s “stunning products” and unerring focus on design. “No other CEO has consistently shown such a commitment.” The application reached its final stages before Brown spiked it—which he did not because he doubted Jobs’ knightly qualities, but because the Apple boss had dared to turned down an invite to speak at a Labour Party conference. (More Steve Jobs stories.)