Really Bad Brits

Jack the Ripper has been voted the worst Briton of the last 1,000 years in a new BBC poll.

The serial killer, whose exploits (killing five prostitutes in East London in 1888) pale in comparison to some of the other baddies, got 24 percent of the votes.

The runners-up were:

Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury and Catholic martyr (11 percent)

Eadric Streona, 11th century traitor (9)

King John, who was forced to sign the Magna Carta (9)

Sir Richard Rich, who persecuted Protestants for Henry VIII (9)

Titus Oates, an Anabaptist who persecuted Catholics (9)

Duke of Cumberland, a butcher of Scots (9)

Hugh Despenser the Younger, rapacious friend of royalty (8)

Thomas Arudenl, Archbishop of Canterbury and opponent of Catholic reformists (8)

Oswald Mosley, fascist and friend of Mussolini (4)