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Post Office campaigner Alan Bates, former prime minister Gordon Brown and artist Tracey Emin are among the famous faces recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list.
The highest award went to Mr Brown who was made a Companion of Honour, while Sir Alan was knighted in recognition of his campaigning work which highlighted the Post Office Horizon scandal. On Teesside, Director of Adult Services at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Sarah Ann Workman received an OBE for services to Adult Social Care and Health.
Meanwhile, Chief Constable of Cleveland Police Mark Webster and Chief Inspector at the force Fraser Wilson have been awarded a King’s Police Medal. The King’s Police Medal is awarded for a specially distinguished record in police specific services of conspicuous merit, along with special services to Royalty, Heads of States and valuable political and secret services.
Artist Emin, actress Imelda Staunton and fashion accessories designer Anya Hindmarch were all made dames in the list, while writer Armando Iannucci was made a CBE and cyclist Mark Cavendish was knighted. Singer Rebecca Ferguson, Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon and Countdown’s Susie Dent were among the showbiz names to be made MBEs.
In the sporting world, former cyclist Chris Boardman and former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness were made CBEs, while former England footballer Karen Carney was made an OBE. More than 1,000 people from across the UK received honours in Friday’s list.
Sir Alan, the founder of Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance who was played by Toby Jones in an ITV drama about the scandal, said he was “honoured” by his knighthood. The former subpostmaster, who previously rejected an OBE honour, told the PA news agency: “The time I was asked about the OBE… I felt it would have been quite offensive to many of the group if I’d accepted it.
“But I do know that I’ve had hundreds of emails and letters of support over the years and a lot of people do seem to think that I should receive some sort of recognition for the work that I’ve done for them or on their behalf. I know I’m the recipient of it and all the rest of it, but it’s on behalf of the group as well – and recognition of the horrendous things that have happened to them and the story’s not over yet.”
Sir Alan said many people were “still suffering” and the campaigners would go back to the courts if necessary, adding “if we need to raise the funding for doing such a thing, I’m sure the nation will support us”.
Award organisers said 64% of recipients were people who showed “outstanding work” in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity, adding that 66% of recipients lived outside London and the South East. Of the 1,077 people honoured in the 2024 list, 509 were women – representing 48% of the total – and 10% of all successful candidates were from an ethnic minority background. At CBE level and above, 40% of recipients were women.
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