A fashion designer who was appointed MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his daring range of lingerie has decided not to accept it because he finds the Prime Minister morally corrupt.

Joseph Corré and his wife, Serena Rees, both accepted individual decorations, given on Downing Street’s recommendation, for their services to the British fashion industry. The couple set up the Agent Provocateur underwear brand in London in 1994, and have developed it into a worldwide chain with more than 30 stores.

In a statement announcing his change of mind yesterday, Mr Corré, son of the fashion doyenne Vivien Westwood, said that he could not accept Tony Blair as “someone capable of giving an honour”. He excluded the Queen, who would have bestowed the insignia at Buckingham Palace, from his criticism.

A spokeswoman for the fashion chain said yesterday that Mr Corré’s change of mind was a personal decision, and not a reflection on his company. Ms Rees would accept her honour as a recognition of their company’s commercial success, the spokeswoman said.

Agent Provocateur underwear is much favoured by Alist celebrities, and has recently been advertised by Kylie Minogue and Kate Moss. After initially basing their market pitch on being daring and erotic, the company now designs lingerie for Marks & Spencer.

In his statement, Mr Corré said: “Initially I was very flattered to have my work recognised by the Establishment. It even gave me a kick to imagine what some of the bureaucrats and censors I have had to fight up to now must think. However, after some serious reflection, I have decided that I cannot accept it.

“I have been chosen by an organisation headed by a Prime Minister who I find morally corrupt, who has been involved in organised lying to the point where thousands of people, including children, have suffered death, detention and torture in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“Furthermore, against this backdrop we are to have our hard-fought civil liberties eroded as a consequence. Don’t forget Jean Charles de Menezes [the Brazilian shot dead by police at Stockwell Underground station on suspicion of being a terrorist] or our rights to habeas corpus.”

Mr Corré said that his views in no way refelected his opinion of the Queen, whom he respected and would be delighted to have as a customer. As befits her age and position, the Queen buys her underwear from much more conservative outlets.

The twice-yearly Honours List is drawn up by a government team from suggestions and recommendations, and is approved by the Prime Minister before being passed to the Queen.

Mr Corré is in distinguished company; John Lennon, appointed MBE with the other Beatles at Harold Wilson’s instigation in 1965, eventually handed his medal back – but not before many other holders had returned their medals in protest at mere pop musicians being so honoured.

Mr Corré said in his statement that staff at Agent Provocateur “should all stand proud for what they have accomplished this far, and they don’t need a medal to prove it”. The co-founder’s public gesture is unlikely to damage sales.

Others understood to have refused honours include the actors Albert Finney, Vanessa Redgrave, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Honor Black-man, the writer Michael Frayn, the artists L. S. Lowry and Frank Auerbach, the singer David Bowie and the composer Benjamin Britten.

The writer J. G. Ballard, who rejected the chance to become a CBE, said at the time that he opposed the “preposterous charade” of the honours system.

All the above, however, rejected the offer of an honour outright, and unlike Mr Corré did not change their minds little more than a week after the announcement.

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