This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/22/eric-pickles-knighthood-former-cabinet-minister
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Former cabinet minister Eric Pickles to receive a knighthood | Former cabinet minister Eric Pickles to receive a knighthood |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The former cabinet minister Eric Pickles is to be given a knighthood, Downing Street has announced. | The former cabinet minister Eric Pickles is to be given a knighthood, Downing Street has announced. |
| The secretary of state for communities and local government in the previous parliament will be made a knight bachelor in recognition of his public service as an MP, and his time in the cabinet and local government, it emerged on Friday. | The secretary of state for communities and local government in the previous parliament will be made a knight bachelor in recognition of his public service as an MP, and his time in the cabinet and local government, it emerged on Friday. |
| Pickles, who was first elected to parliament in 1992, lost his frontbench role to Greg Clark during the reshuffle by the prime minister, David Cameron, on 11 May. | Pickles, who was first elected to parliament in 1992, lost his frontbench role to Greg Clark during the reshuffle by the prime minister, David Cameron, on 11 May. |
| He has since been made an anti-corruption tsar and remains the Brentwood and Ongar MP. He was re-elected with 59% of the vote at the general election. | He has since been made an anti-corruption tsar and remains the Brentwood and Ongar MP. He was re-elected with 59% of the vote at the general election. |
| Pickles said his family were absolutely delighted at the news. He said: “I’m obviously very pleased with the honour and am looking forward to my day at the palace. When I left the cabinet, the prime minister asked if I would accept a knighthood and I indicated that I would, but it then has to go through a committee. I’m very pleased.” | |
| Pickles served as the Conservative party chairman from 2009 to 2010. Prior to entering parliament, he had a long career in local government. He was elected to Bradford council in 1979 and was its leader between 1988 and 1990. | |
| During his time as the communities minister, Pickles introduced the Localism Act 2011, which changed the powers of local government in England. He also spearheaded cuts to funding for local councils. |