Rother Valley: MP Barron honoured to become Sir Kevin

Kevin Barron says he is stunned and humbled to have been knighted in the New Year’s Honours.

The Rother Valley MP was told of his award a month ago and sworn to secrecy until now.

And Sir Kevin said the award was an honour for the people of Rother Valley he has represented for the past 30 years at Westminster.

“I’ve already had people contacting me and addressing me as Sir Kevin which is still amazing to hear, though I’m still the same Kevin Barron as far as I’m concerned,” he said.

“Knighthoods don’t happen to people like me, or at least I used to think so.”

“I’m just a an ordinary ex-miner who went to work down the pit at Maltby with my dad and brother when I was 15.”

“At that time, I’d never have even thought there was a chance that one day, I would be an MP representing the people here, never mind being knighted for it.”

“I see this award as recognition for the people of Rother Valley and the fact I have been able to give them a voice for 30 years when they might not have had such a voice in the past.”

“All people deserve their representation and I think this is for the hard work that I have put in over the past 30 years for the people of Rother Valley and that hard work will continue.”

“This honour is also for the work we have done in health campaigns such as anti-smoking and I’ve already had emails from the people involved with that congratulating me.”

“Again though, the work goes on with health campaigns and awareness and this award won’t change that.”

Sir Kevin said he did not know when he would collect his honour, he expects to get a letter in the post informing him of the date as he did when he was informed he had been awarded the knighthood.

But the delight and celebration at the award have already started for his family, not least for his mum.

“My mum was 92 on Christmas Eve and she was absolutely over the moon when we told her the news, it was the best Christmas present she could have had,” continued Sir Kevin.

“She wondered what her mum and dad would have said when we told them someone from our stock had been knighted.”

“I think they’d have been as amazed and delighted as I am.”

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