Former Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt becomes a dame
Penny Mordaunt said it was 'lovely to be appreciated in this way' and she was 'feeling very grateful'.
Her profile was boosted by her sword-carrying role as Lord President of the Council during the 2023 coronation ceremony.
Dressed in a custom-made teal outfit with matching cape, and headband with gold feather embroidery, as Lord President of the Council she was responsible for bearing the Sword of State and presenting the Jewelled Sword of Offering to the King, the first time the duty had been carried out by a woman.
Dame Penny told the PA news agency: 'It is lovely to be appreciated in this way, and I'm very conscious that everything I have ever got done has been with the help and efforts of others.
'So I'm feeling very grateful on many counts today.'
The former defence secretary and Commons leader was widely seen as a potential Tory leader until she lost her seat at last year's general election.
In Westminster she had twice challenged for the Conservative leadership, losing to Liz Truss and then pulling out of the race against Rishi Sunak, but her hopes of making it third time lucky were dashed when she lost her Portsmouth North seat.
But she still harbours hopes of staging a political comeback by returning to the Commons.
Sir Mark Tami, who has served as a Labour whip since 2010, has also been awarded a knighthood.
The MP for Alyn and Deeside told the PA news agency that it is a 'great, great honour'.
'When I was told I was shocked,' he said.
'I think most people probably are. It's a great great honour and I'm very very pleased.'
Meanwhile, Newcastle MP Chi Onwurah becomes a dame, and told PA she was 'totally overwhelmed and surprised' when she found out.
'I grew up on a council estate in Newcastle in a one-parent family,' Dame Chi said.
'I never thought about being made a dame, as you can imagine.'
She said she would be 'really proud' to accept it 'on behalf of my constituents'.
Other Westminster figures given honours include Sir Philip Barton, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, who becomes a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George.
He was heavily criticised for failing to return from holiday while Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021, as MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee said they had lost confidence in him and suggested he should consider his position.
But he remained in post as permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office until standing down in January this year.
Former Conservative health minister Maria Caulfield becomes a CBE and said she was 'really surprised'.
She told the PA news agency that she has returned to work as a nurse since losing her Lewes seat at last year's general election, and 'when I read the letter I couldn't have been more surprised'.
She added: 'It's nearly a year since the general election so I'd kind of forgotten really about politics and that side of things.'
She said that she was 'really lucky' to have been able to focus on women's health during her time as a minister and was now doing 'gynae cancer research […] doing the hands-on work rather than the policy work'.
Among the changes brought in while Ms Caulfield was in office was the introduction of the baby-loss certificate and the HRT prescription prepayment certificate.
'It's really nice to see that's being recognised and the team that helped us achieve all of that are to thank for a lot of that hard work,' she said
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Ministers ‘abusing' anti-terror laws against Palestine activists
Organisers estimated that 350,000 people attended the protest, with those marching waving Palestinian flags and chanting 'free, free Palestine' and 'stop bombing Iran'. Many protesters chanted 'shame on you' as they walked past dozens of counter-protesters, organised by pro-Israeli group Stop The Hate, near Waterloo Bridge. The Metropolitan Police said a person was arrested after a bottle was thrown towards the counter-protesters. They added that 'a group appeared on Waterloo Bridge trying to block traffic' following the protest, with officers intervening to clear the road. The demonstrations come after reports on Friday that the Home Secretary will ban Palestine Action after the group vandalised two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton. Yvette Cooper has decided to proscribe the group, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support Palestine Action, after footage posted online showed two people inside the RAF base, with one appearing to spray paint into an aircraft's jet engine. Addressing crowds at the national march for Palestine in Whitehall, former SNP leader Mr Yousaf said: 'While we stand a stone's throw from Downing Street, let's make it clear to the Prime Minister: You try to intimidate us with your anti-terror laws by abusing them, but you'll never silence us as we speak out against the genocide that you're supporting. 'We're not the terrorists – the ones that are literally killing children, they are the terrorists.' A pro-Palestine protester said it was 'absolutely horrendous' that the Government is preparing to ban Palestine Action. Paloma Faith speaking after a march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in London (Jeff Moore/PA) Artist Hannah Woodhouse, 61, told the PA news agency: 'The Government, since yesterday, have said they're also going to start to try to proscribe peace activists who are trying to take action against the genocide – so Palestine Action are now being targeted by our Government, which is absolutely horrendous.' Ms Woodhouse, who is from London, added: 'Counter-terrorism measures, it seems, are being used against non-violent peace protesters. 'The peace activists are trying to do the Government's job, which is to disarm Israel. The duty of any government right now is to disarm a genocidal state.' Musician Paloma Faith told pro-Palestine campaigners that she would not 'stick to music and stay away from politics'. Speaking to crowds at the march, the songwriter, 43, added: 'Those who facilitate these crimes against humanity need to be made accountable, not those of us who are compassionate and humane enough to stand against it.' Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told protesters that politicians were seeking to 'turn people who protest against the invasion of Iran or the occupation of Palestine into terrorists'. Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaking after a march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, from Russell Square to Whitehall in central London (Jeff Moore/PA) Some protesters were carrying Iran flags, with others hoisting signs – distributed by the Islamic Human Rights Commission – that read 'choose the right side of history' alongside a photo of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Human rights group Liberty said banning Palestine Action 'would be a huge step change in how counter-terror laws are applied'. Sam Grant, its external affairs director, said in a statement: 'Targeting a protest group with terrorism powers in this way is a shocking escalation of the Government's crackdown on protest and we urge the Home Secretary to rethink. 'It's clear the actions of Palestine Action don't meet the Government's own proportionality test to be proscribed as a terrorist group, but the consequences for the group's supporters if ministers go ahead would be heavy – with things like wearing their logo carrying prison sentences. 'This move needs to be viewed in light of the sustained crackdowns on protest we have seen from successive governments over recent years, and the worrying fact that there are more and more non-violent protesters spending years in prison.' The Palestine Coalition is comprised of a number of different groups, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Stop The War.
The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
British man arrested on suspicion of spying and terrorism offences in Cyprus
A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are in contact with the authorities in Cyprus regarding the arrest of a British man.' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited Akrotiri in December (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) RAF Akrotiri is the UK's most important airbase for operations in the Middle East. The Philenews website said the man was arrested on Friday following intelligence he was planning an imminent terrorist attack. He is alleged to have lived in a flat in Zakai, Limassol, close to Akrotiri and was observed near the base carrying a camera with a long lens and three mobile phones. Local reports suggested he was Azerbaijani but the UK Foreign Office said they were working with the authorities over the arrest of a Briton.
Metro
5 hours ago
- Metro
Dame Prue Leith's son blasted after saying she doesn't 'see sense' in debate
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The son of Dame Prue Leith has caught backlash after speaking out on the divisive assisted dying law, saying his mother has failed to 'see sense'. Conservative MP Danny Kruger has campaigned against assisted dying, while Dame Prue has voiced her support, having watched her brother, David, in agony towards the end of his life. In the latest development, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill cleared the Commons with a majority of 23 votes on Friday. However, the legislation could face a difficult passage through the House of Lords, with critics continuing to raise safeguarding concerns and poised to table amendments adding further restrictions. Interviewed on Friday, Kruger, 50, was quizzed on having opposing views to GBBO star Dame Prue, 85. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. The South African-British restaurateur has said for years that she wants the law to pass, which, if it does, will make it legal for over-18s who are terminally ill to receive medical assistance to end their lives in England and Wales. There will be a series of criteria that a person must meet to be eligible. Appearing on BBC's Newsnight, Kruger was asked whether being on opposite sides of the argument has impacted his relationship with his mum. 'This debate actually has not broken any friendships for me at all, including of my own Party and certainly with my mum,' he began. 'We seem to be able to disagree well on this.' 'I think these are very profound issues, both in conscience but also practicality,' he continued. 'I regret my mum has not seen sense and come round to my point of view, but I understand why she hasn't.' It was Kruger's final statement that caught many viewers' attention, with @dicofran on X calling it 'condescending'. 'Breathtaking arrogance towards Prue Leith', slammed @JoBlandUnity. 'Massive man baby has a tantrum because a woman has her own point of view', replied @ClaireDunkley4. 'How arrogant. Accusing his own mother of not seeing sense, because she doesn't share his views', argued @NWomxn. Previously, the Tory politician said to Sky News that it is 'impossible' for the assisted dying bill to be 'tight enough'. He said no one in the UK would need the option if the UK had 'top-quality palliative care'. In a series of tweets last night, he further accused assisted dying campaigners of being 'militant anti-Christians' who had failed to 'engage with the detail of the Bill'. However, Dame Prue believes his attitudes would shift had he witnessed his 'uncle die or his father die'. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Asked if she and her son lock horns over the heated topic, Dame Prue admitted that they 'mostly don't get into it'. 'It always just gets into the long discussion, which is never bad-tempered, I must say, you know, because we are very fond of each other.' Kruger, who has been the MP for East Wiltshire since 2019, lost his father, Rayne Kruger, in 2002. As for his uncle, David was in his sixties and had bone cancer, with his sister Dame Prue having been by his side when he was 'screaming' in pain. Speaking to Sky broadcaster Sophie Ridge, Dame Prue recalled how morphine only worked 'for a couple of hours' with him. 'They only did it every four hours. And so he was really first crying, whimpering, moaning, then crying, then screaming, and then absolutely desperate. 'And the rest of the ward have to suffer it. The nurses have to suffer. His family have to suffer it.' She said he was 'begging for somebody to help him'. More Trending 'He would say things like, 'If I was a dog, if I was a horse, you would do the right thing by me, you'd put me down'.' Dame Prue believes there is 'no question' that the current legal set-up is not working. Other celebrities throwing their support behind the legislation include Dame Esther Rantzen, who turns 85 tomorrow. The TV star has terminal cancer but has acknowledged the law would probably not become law in time for her to use it, and she would have to 'buzz off to Zurich' to use the Dignitas clinic. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Dragons' Den star reveals their strict rule children's friends must follow MORE: Disgraced Strictly star slams 'double standards' at BBC after Naga Munchetty 'sex jibe' MORE: Legendary BBC series hailed as 'guilty pleasure' streaming on completely free UK service
