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London’s Labor mayor Sadiq Khan is to receive a knighthood in the New Year’s honors list, one of a number of political veterans to be presented with gongs, people briefed on the document said.
Hanthe first Muslim mayor of the British capital, who was elected to a third term this year, will receive his award for political and public service after almost two decades in politics. He used to be a deputy.
The chair of the House of Commons foreign affairs committee, Emily Thornberry, a long-serving Labor MP who was kicked out of her team by Sir Keir Starmer after coming into government, will be made a lady, Whitehall insiders have told the Financial Times. Another recipient, they said, would be New Labour-era health secretary Patricia Hewitt.
Andy Street, the former West Midlands mayor who was defeated in May’s local elections after seven years in office, is one of several Conservative politicians to be knighted.
Nick Gibb, an MP for more than a quarter of a century who served as schools minister for a decade across three appointments, is set to be another recipient.
Two other Conservative MPs are expected to receive knighthoods: Ranil Jayawardene and Marcus Jones, both of whom lost their seats in the House of Commons in July’s general election.
Jayawardene was a close ally of Liz Truss, who appointed him to the cabinet as environment minister during her brief tenure as prime minister. He also served as trade secretary and deputy leader of the Tories during Boris Johnson’s administration.
Jones, an MP since 2010, was deputy chief whip during Rishi Sunak’s premiership. He previously held the position of Housing Minister and Deputy Leader of the Tory Party.
Hewitt is expected to be honored for services to health and Gibb for services to education, while the rest will be honored with awards for parliamentary, political and public service, the figures said.
One person familiar with the process stressed that the draft document had not yet received the final sign-off from Starmer or King Charles III. All awards are issued in the name of the monarch.
FT reported Earlier this week, the government is poised to publish a new political peerage list in the coming weeks – likely to coincide with the New Year’s honors – which will include Starmer’s former chief of staff, Sue Grey.
A host of former Labor MPs who resigned ahead of the election, making way for new party talent, are also set to be elevated to the House of Lords.
Sunak has not yet unveiled the list of peerages to stand down, but Tory insiders believe it will include former cabinet ministers Michael Gove, Simon Hart and Alistair Jack.
Jones said he was not aware of any reward offer. Street and Gibb declined to comment, as did a representative for Khan.
Thornberry, Jayawardene and Hewitt did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Individuals will not necessarily know if they are on the New Year’s honors list, which anyone can nominate another person for.
The Cabinet Office said: “We do not comment on speculation about awards.”
