Former Labour leader Gordon Brown has been awarded with a top award in the King’s Birthday Honours list.
The ex-Prime Minister, 73, was recognised for “public and charitable services in the UK and abroad” as he became a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. A highly coveted award of which there are only ever 65 recipients at any one time.
The gong – founded by King George V in 1917 to recognise outstanding achievements in the Arts, Sciences, Medicine and Public Service – has previously been given to Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir David Attenborough and Sir Elton John. Mr Brown has raised more than £4million for charitable causes.
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Mr Brown said: “I feel slightly embarrassed as the opportunity to serve is an honour in itself and my preference has always been to recognise all those brilliant, unsung, local heroes who quietly and selflessly give their time to contribute to the vitality of our communities. I want to thank those who put my name forward and thank too my family and all who have worked with me during the last 50 years in public life to whom I owe everything.”
Mr Brown was Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010, having been Chancellor under Tony Blair from 1997 to 2007.
Elsewhere, Staunch Kremlin critic Bill Browder dedicated his knighthood to Russian dissidents who made the “ultimate sacrifice” to fight for their country’s freedom, including Vladimir Kara-Murza and Alexei Navalny.
The US-born financier, 60, was knighted in the King’s BirthdayHonoursafter years of lobbying governments to introduce sanctions against human rights violators and kleptocrats.
Other political figures to be recognised are Labour MP Wayne David, 66, who was knighted. Tory MP Rebecca Harris, 56, and ex-Labour MP Karen Buck, 65, were made Dames.
Lulu Lytle, the luxury interior designer who oversaw the lavish refurb of Boris Johnson’s Downing Street flat, was made an OBE.
She was a guest at Mr Johnson ’s lockdown-busting birthday party in June 2000. Mr Johson, wife Carrie Johnson and Rishi Sunak all paid fines after attending the brief birthday bash.