NEW YEAR’S HONOURS LIST REVEALED
A loyal MP and former minister, and the coach and captain of one of Britain’s most successful sports teams are among recipients of New Year honours, reports Philip Bowern
FORMER Attorney General and long-serving Westcountry MP Geoffrey Cox QC receives a knighthood in the New Year’s Honours list, published today.
The barrister and MP for Torridge and West Devon caused controversy after advising the Government that it was legal to prorogue Parliament for five weeks in autumn, 2019 – a move later ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court.
He won his seat at the 2005 General Election, defeating Liberal Democrat John Burnett. As a committed opponent of Britain’s membership of the European Union, he backed the Leave campaign in the run-up to the 2016 General Election.
Two other knighthoods go to residents of the South West, one to the cinematographer Roger Deakins, from Torbay (see panel, top left) and the other to Richard Atkins, from Exeter, the former Further Education Commissioner at the Department for Education.
Sportsmen from the Westcountry are also honoured in the list, published today, which is headed up by motor racing’s Lewis Hamilton, who receives a knighthood.
The honour rounds off a bumper year for Hamilton which saw him equal Michael Schumacher’s record with a seventh Formula One title and being voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year for a second time.
Rob Baxter, director of rugby at Exeter Chiefs, becomes an OBE, crowning a brilliant season for him at the club, which won the Premiership and became European Rugby Champions in 2020.
Tavistock-born Baxter, 49 played for the club for 16 years, ten as club captain. He became head coach in 2009. Exeter Chiefs captain Joe Simmonds, who turned 24 earlier this month, is made an MBE.
In Cornwall, David Walrond, Principal and Chair of Truro and Penwith College and Callywith College, receives an MBE. David said of the award: “It is wonderful to be honoured in this way. What is being recognised, of course, is the vital work for Cornwall of two remarkable institutions and the many outstanding colleagues who have made them what they are.”
Elsewhere, continuing the trend set by the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, there are a slew of gongs for those seeking solutions to the problems posed by coronavirus as the pandemic drags on.
Veteran footballers Jimmy Greaves and Ron Flowers are made MBEs after a long-running campaign to ensure every surviving member of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad gets an honour.
There is a damehood for actress Sheila Hancock, who made her name in the West End before becoming a perennial figure on British TV screens.
Commenting on the award, Hancock, who lives in Wiltshire, joked she felt “slightly miscast”.
She said: “I feel I may be lowering the tone. I feel slightly miscast, let’s put it that way.”
People striving to end issues such as homelessness, domestic abuse and social isolation also receive awards, including Kim Leadbeater – sister of murdered MP Jo Cox – who becomes an MBE.