The mayor of London Sadiq Khan is understood to be in line to receive a knighthood in the new year honours list, alongside other senior politicians who will also be given awards.
Khan, the first Muslim mayor of an EU capital when elected in 2016, is expected to be awarded for political and public services after working for more than 20 years as a Labour politician, first as MP for Tooting followed by his mayoral role.
Khan will be joined by other senior Labour MPs and Conservatives who either stepped down, or lost their seats at the last election.
News that Khan could be given a knighthood alongside other politicians was first reported in the Financial Times.
Emily Thornberry was reported to be in line for a damehood, having been the only member of Starmer’s shadow cabinet who did not receive a government role.
She now sits as a backbencher, chairing the Commons foreign affairs committee. It is thought the honour will be in addition to her title of Lady Nugee, which she uses because of her husband’s knighthood.
The former trade secretary and health secretary Patricia Hewitt is also expected to be awarded.
But it is not only Labour politicians who are set to receive honours, with Andy Street, the former Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, expected to be included on a draft list.
Street lost his mayoralty in a very narrow race in the May local elections.
Ranil Jayawardena, the environment secretary under Liz Truss and Marcus Jones, who both lot their seats in the general election, are also expected to be awarded.
Jones was deputy chief whip during Rishi Sunak’s premiership.
Nick Gibb, a Tory MP who has served as schools minister across three appointments is set to be another recipient of a knighthood.
The Cabinet Office said: “We do not comment on speculation on honours.”
In October, former Tory ministers Sir David Davis and Sir Gavin Williamson received knighthoods for their public service.
At the time, Labour politicians condemned the honour, including health secretary Wes Streeting, who tweeted: “Reward for failure. Shameless.”
