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
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The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Community visibly emotional during candlelit vigil for Air India crash victims
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South Wales Argus
2 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Community visibly emotional during candlelit vigil for Air India crash victims
Faith leaders from the Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities led the service on Saturday at the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, north-west London, where 20 of the victims are thought to have previously worshipped. One of the most emotional moments of the vigil came when Harrow Mayor, Councillor Anjana Patel, shared that two young girls had lost their father in the crash, just weeks after their mother died from cancer. People attend a multi-faith vigil at the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, London, for the victims of the Air India crash (James Manning/PA) Their father, Arjun Patoliya, had flown to Gujarat to scatter his wife Bharti's ashes following her death. He was returning home to his daughters, aged four and eight, when the plane went down. 'The saddest incident we have got here in Harrow is one parent had already died here because of cancer,' Cllr Patel said, as the crowd audibly gasped. 'The husband went to do the rituals in India and coming back, he was on board. He has left two little girls behind and the girls are now orphans. 'I really hope that those girls will be looked after by all of us.' She added: 'Caring is the most that we can do at this hour. 'We don't have any words to describe how the families and friends must be feeling, so what we can do is pray for them.' Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for Harrow East speaking during the vigil (James Manning/PA) She also revealed how her sister-in-law's cousin had been killed in the crash. Local councillors, a local MP and residents packed into the temple for the ceremony, which included emotional tributes, candle lighting, and a message of condolence from the King. Bob Blackman, MP for Harrow East, said it was believed to be the highest number of British deaths ever recorded in a plane crash, with 53 UK nationals on board. 'When someone dies in illness or old age, we celebrate their lives,' he said. 'But when an air crash happens – completely unpredictable – people are taken away from us immediately, just like that.' 'We think of all those families sitting by the telephone, wondering if their loved ones were actually on the plane.' People attend a multi-faith vigil at the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, London, for the victims of the Air India crash (James Manning/PA) He said the Gujarati community in the UK was deeply affected, with victims having links to Harrow, Leicester, Birmingham and beyond. 'The difficulty the authorities have already got is: who are they visiting? Which family members were they coming to see in the UK?' he said. Councillor Hitesh Karia, who represents Pinner South ward and is a member of the temple's congregation, also shared the impact of the tragedy. Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: 'It's nice that the local community can come together – the local support means a lot. 'Twenty devotees that come here have sadly lost their lives.' 'It shows there is a solidarity, and despite the high amount of diversity, we can come together when appropriate.' People attend a multi-faith vigil at the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, London, for the victims of the Air India crash (James Manning/PA) The vigil was held at the temple led by Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, who previously told PA he knew 20 of the victims personally. Many in the hall quietly wept as candles were lit by representatives of all four faiths. 'The only feeling left is sadness – we can't do any more,' Mr Guruji said.
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Community visibly emotional during candlelit vigil for Air India crash victims
Faith leaders from the Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities led the service on Saturday at the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, north-west London, where 20 of the victims are thought to have previously worshipped. One of the most emotional moments of the vigil came when Harrow Mayor, Councillor Anjana Patel, shared that two young girls had lost their father in the crash, just weeks after their mother died from cancer. People attend a multi-faith vigil at the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, London, for the victims of the Air India crash (James Manning/PA) Their father, Arjun Patoliya, had flown to Gujarat to scatter his wife Bharti's ashes following her death. He was returning home to his daughters, aged four and eight, when the plane went down. 'The saddest incident we have got here in Harrow is one parent had already died here because of cancer,' Cllr Patel said, as the crowd audibly gasped. 'The husband went to do the rituals in India and coming back, he was on board. He has left two little girls behind and the girls are now orphans. 'I really hope that those girls will be looked after by all of us.' She added: 'Caring is the most that we can do at this hour. 'We don't have any words to describe how the families and friends must be feeling, so what we can do is pray for them.' Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for Harrow East speaking during the vigil (James Manning/PA) She also revealed how her sister-in-law's cousin had been killed in the crash. Local councillors, a local MP and residents packed into the temple for the ceremony, which included emotional tributes, candle lighting, and a message of condolence from the King. Bob Blackman, MP for Harrow East, said it was believed to be the highest number of British deaths ever recorded in a plane crash, with 53 UK nationals on board. 'When someone dies in illness or old age, we celebrate their lives,' he said. 'But when an air crash happens – completely unpredictable – people are taken away from us immediately, just like that.' 'We think of all those families sitting by the telephone, wondering if their loved ones were actually on the plane.' People attend a multi-faith vigil at the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, London, for the victims of the Air India crash (James Manning/PA) He said the Gujarati community in the UK was deeply affected, with victims having links to Harrow, Leicester, Birmingham and beyond. 'The difficulty the authorities have already got is: who are they visiting? Which family members were they coming to see in the UK?' he said. Councillor Hitesh Karia, who represents Pinner South ward and is a member of the temple's congregation, also shared the impact of the tragedy. Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: 'It's nice that the local community can come together – the local support means a lot. 'Twenty devotees that come here have sadly lost their lives.' 'It shows there is a solidarity, and despite the high amount of diversity, we can come together when appropriate.' People attend a multi-faith vigil at the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, London, for the victims of the Air India crash (James Manning/PA) The vigil was held at the temple led by Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, who previously told PA he knew 20 of the victims personally. Many in the hall quietly wept as candles were lit by representatives of all four faiths. 'The only feeling left is sadness – we can't do any more,' Mr Guruji said.
