Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw receives a Knighthood for public service
Published: 17 June 2023
Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw has been awarded a Knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours for his political and public service.
Sir Ben, who has represented Exeter since he elected in 1997, recently announced he will step down at the next general election, after more than a quarter of a century of service to the city.
He said: “I consider myself incredibly lucky to have served such a fantastic constituency as Exeter, which must be the nicest constituency in the country.
“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.”
City Council Leader Phil Bialyk said: “Ben has been a fantastic MP for Exeter and this honour is great news. I want to congratulate Ben on behalf of everyone in the city for this award – it is fully deserved.”
Also honoured was rugby referee Sara Cox, from Exeter. She was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Rugby Union.
Sara became the first woman to referee a Premiership rugby and made history when she took charge of Harlequins’ match against Worcester Warriors in 2021.
She was also the world’s first professional female referee when centrally contracted by the RFU in 2016; the first woman to referee a National League 1 match; the first to referee a Premiership Rugby Cup match and the first female to referee a Greene King IPA Championship match.
Having played rugby for Cullompton and Exeter Saracens, Sara took up refereeing and her CV now includes being the only English referee for rugby sevens at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro; refereeing the women’s final in the Sevens World Cup in San Francisco and at the 2018 Commonwealth Games sevens event in Australia.
Sara Cox MBE
Also receiving an MBE was Professor Pascale Veronique Aebischer, a Professor in Shakespeare and Early Modern Performance Studies, at the University of Exeter, for services to Economic and Societal Resilience during Covid-19.
Dennis John Mardon, Chair of Citizens’ Advice Exeter, also received an MBE for services to Vulnerable People in Exeter.
Cllr Bialyk added: “I would like to congratulate our rugby referee Sara Cox on her MBE, and others in the city and across Devon who have been recognised for the great work they do.”