Lord Frank Field of Birkenhead who served as an MP for 40 years is to receive one of the UK's most exclusive accolades in the Queen’s New Year's Honours list.
Lord Field of Birkenhead becomes a Companion of Honour, a title shared by a maximum of 65 people at one time. Lord Field was given the award for his “lifetime of public service”.
The Companion of Honour is a special award granted to those who have made a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time. The members currently include actress Dame Maggie Smith, JK Rowling, Stephen Hawking, John Major and Desmond Tutu.
Lord Field served as an MP for Birkenhead, from 1979 to 2019. A long-time campaigner for pension changes and against child poverty, he served from 1997 to 1998 as welfare reform minister in Tony Blair's government.
Lord Field joins former Chancellor George Osborne and former Conservative cabinet minister Lord Tebbit as members of the Order of the Companions of Honour. Responding to being made a Companion of Honour, he said: "Well, I'm very honoured to receive this acknowledgement. It's a terrific privilege considering the honour itself and what it represents.
Following the work I've done, it's a lovely thought from which to conclude this year."
