Gareth Bacon, the Member of Parliament for Orpington, has been awarded the Freedom of the , in recognition of his contribution to UK politics and public life.
Between September 2021 and November 2023, Mr Bacon served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to several Cabinet Ministers, including Sir Jacob Rees Mogg, Brandon Lewis, and Steve Barclay and in November 2023, he was promoted to his present role, serving as a junior Minister at the Ministry of Justice.
Prior to his election to Parliament, Mr Bacon was a member of the London Assembly for 12 years; served as Leader of the GLA Conservative Group and Chairman of the Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee from 2015 to 2019; and served as a local councillor in Bexley from 1998 until 2021.
Mr Bacon, who was nominated for his Freedom award by the Corporation’s Policy Chairman, Chris Hayward, and its Chief Commoner, Ann Holmes, attended his ceremony at Guildhall with family members.
City Corporation Policy Chairman Chris Hayward said:
“As an MP, Gareth has made a real difference, serving on numerous bill committees, including the transformative Financial Services and Markets Act, chairing the All-Party Parliamentary Group on London as a Global City and now, serving with distinction at the Ministry of Justice.
“A long-time public servant and enjoying a terrific career in politics, I am very happy to support Gareth’s Freedom of the , which is richly deserved.”
Chief Commoner Ann Holmes said:
“Gareth Bacon’s Freedom award is the City Corporation’s way of recognising his significant contribution to politics, both at a local and national level.
“I was delighted to join Chris Hayward in nominating him, and I hope that he will have happy memories of his ceremony for many years to come.”
Speaking after the ceremony, Gareth Bacon said:
“I would like to thank the for granting me the great honour of the freedom of the city. I also extend my thanks to everyone involved in making the day so special.”
One of the ’s ancient traditions, the Freedom is believed to have begun in 1237 and enabled recipients to carry out their trade.
As well as being nominated for, or applying for, the Freedom, it is also offered by the Corporation to individuals as a way of paying tribute to their outstanding contribution to London or public life, or to celebrate a very significant achievement.
Recent high-profile recipients include theatre entrepreneurs, Dame Rosemary Squire and Sir Howard Panter; former Managing Director and Chief Privacy Officer at the London Stock Exchange, Vivienne Artz; and Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, who initiated and led the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine.
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