Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw receives a knighthood for public service

Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw has been awarded a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours for his political and public service.

Sir Ben Bradshaw served in both Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown's governments and was only the second MP to be openly gay when elected in 1997.

Sir Ben said he had questioned whether to accept the award in light of the recent controversy surrounding Boris Johnson's resignation honours list but viewed it "as a thank-you" to all those who supported him over the years.

The Exeter MP said: "I wasn't sure about accepting it because of doubts about the honour system, and particularly in the light of recent events.

"But also the fact that there are many unsung heroes and heroines in my constituency far more worthy of recognition.

"But I guess I then thought, well, my late dad would have been very proud. My mum would have laughed very loudly.

"So in their memory and on behalf of all the people who've supported me in my public and private lives over many, many years, I'd like this to be seen as a thank-you to them really, because without them I couldn't have done the job."

Sir Ben, who faced homophobic abuse when he was first elected 26 years ago, also issued a stark warning that LGBTQ+ rights are at risk of "going backwards".

He said a highlight of his parliamentary career, which saw him serving a number of ministerial roles including as culture secretary in 2009-10, was the "fantastic" progress made on LGBTQ+ equality during Sir Tony Blair's government.

But he said it feels like "things have come full circle" with the "moral panic that's being stoked against trans people" today.

He added: "The LGBTQ+ community and their allies and the overwhelming majority of the British people who support equality, we must all redouble our efforts to ensure that hard-won rights and freedoms are not reversed."

Sir Ben, 62, who is stepping down as an MP at the next general election, also paid tribute to the people he has represented in Parliament for over a quarter of a century.

"I consider myself incredibly lucky to have served such a fantastic constituency as Exeter, which must be the nicest constituency in the country."

On his plans for post-MP life, Sir Ben said he will "move to a smallholding in Sicily and improve the productivity of my olive trees."