Letter: Why Forest MP was given a knighthood

SIR – Richard Grant asks why it is that some members of parliament receive knighthoods (Letters, 13th January). All he has to do look up their citations online.

That for my local MP reads as follows: "Rt Hon Dr Julian Lewis MP has served as the member of parliament for New Forest East for 25 years and has been at the forefront of the debate on the UK’s defence and security for over three decades.

"Throughout his time on the backbenches he has contributed to Parliament’s work on security and defence through his chairmanship of the defence select committee and his ongoing chairmanship of the intelligence and security committee – the first parliamentarian to chair both these committees.

"He has also served as a member of the joint committee on national security strategy, the committees on arms export controls, and the liaison committee.

"He is the author of two books and many articles on defence history and strategy.

"Before entering parliament he served for three years in the Royal Naval reserve at the rank of Seaman.

"He also spent 10 years running speaking and campaigning courses, training more than 600 Conservatives in campaigning and communications techniques."

Cllr Derek Tipp (Conservative),

Netley Marsh