The Ulster Unionist leader said he was unimpressed after being made a member of the Privy Council in the new year's honours list. Mr David Trimble said: "I would not attach any great significance to it. It comes with the rations."
His predecessor as leader of the party, Lord Molyneaux, was also made a Privy Councillor while leader.
Mr Trimble said it was a recognition of his party's position in the House of Commons, where it is the fourth-largest.
There had recently been speculation within political circles that Mr Trimble was going to be given the honour and that it could go some way towards redressing what unionists saw as a pro-nationalist government approach to the Northern Ireland peace process, but Mr Trimble said it did not and should not be seen in that way.
Another 64 people were honoured for their services to Northern Ireland.
The only other award to a politician went to the former lord mayor of Belfast, Dr Ian Adam son, who was awarded an OBE.
Others include the chief veterinary officer for Northern Ireland, Mr Ronald Noel Martin, who received a CBE. He worked on the design and implementation of the computerised system for recording all cattle movements in Northern Ireland, which has been a major factor in the fight against BSE.
The highest award went to Ms Mary Elizabeth Uprichard, president of the UK Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, who was made a Dame. Last year Ms Uprichard became president of the European Community Advisory Committee on the training of midwives.
RUC Assistant Chief Constable Darryl Beaney, Commander of North Region, was awarded an OBE. Among other officers honoured were Sgt Harry Caskey MBE who has served 42 years in the force; Supt Cecil Morrison, a veteran of 35 years service, and Det Supt Milne Barbour, who retired this year after 33 years service, who were both awarded the Queen's Police Medal.
In line with government policy of recognising those involved in education, Ms Elizabeth Reid, principal of Ashfield Girls School in Belfast, was awarded an OBE. Ms Margaret Gray, the vice-principal of Springhill Primary School in Belfast, was made an MBE.
Similar awards went to Ms Patricia Browne, library assistant at Friends School in Lisburn, Co Antrim, and Ms Sheila McCaul, senior education officer in the Western Education Board.