Labor veteran MP Frank Field named honorary companion after announcing deadly illness

Lord Field, a former Labor MP, described the “extraordinary privilege” of receiving one of the highest honors in the country after a lifetime of service.

A crossbench peer who revealed he was terminally ill in October became a member of the Order of Honorary Companions and joined Sir Elton John, JK Rowling and Sir Paul McCartney on a list of 65 people.

Lord Field, who has spent more than 40 years as Frank Field as a Member of Parliament, said: “I am very honored to have received this recognition, it is a remarkable privilege in terms of this honor and what it represents.

“After the work I’ve done, it’s a wonderful thought I can finish this year.”

His campaign work included efforts to eradicate modern-day slavery, which he said was “unfortunately just the beginning”, as well as work on pension reform and child poverty.

The 79-year-old was elected Birkenhead representative 10 times between 1979 and 2019. He was Minister of Social Reform in Tony Blair’s first government in 1997 with the task of “thinking unimaginable” and then chaired the selection for work and pensions. Committee.

Controversial inclusion on the list of honor

Controversial additions to the list include Conservative North Herefordshire MP Bill Wiggin, who became a knight despite being ordered to reimburse more than £ 4,000 in costs after the Telegraph investigated his parliamentary claims in 2009.

He also demanded mortgage payments of £ 11,000 for a property that did not have a mortgage, although he was acquitted of infringements related to mortgage payments that were “mixed up”.

Tory MP Robert Goodwill, who served as a junior minister in six different ministries during his 16 years in parliament, has also been named a knight. He was subsequently ordered to return £ 4,963 cost scandal after reviewing the capital gains of Members of Parliament from other houses financed by taxpayers.

Former Labor MP John Battle, Minister of Commerce under Tony Blair, will receive a knighthood that will add to the papal knighthood conferred on him in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI.

The knighthood also belongs to financier David Harding, who donated £ 1.2 million to the Conservative Party.

Sylvia Heal, a former Labor MP and former Vice-President of the Assembly, has become a lady.

The ladies’ honor also belongs to Sara Khan, who headed the Commission for Combating Extremism at Theresa May.

On a separate list of political honors released Friday, Robert Buckland, a former justice minister, was knighted, and Caroline Dinenage, a former culture minister, became a lady.