Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie becomes a dame in King's Birthday Honours

Jackie Baillie is thought to be the first sitting MSP to receive the honour

Ms Baillie is to receive a Damehood, for Political and Public Service

Scottish Labour’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie has told how she was “humbled” to be made a dame in the King’s first Birthday Honours.

The veteran politician receives the honour for political and public service and is understood to be the first sitting MSP at Holyrood to either be knighted or given a damehood – the female equivalent of the honour.

The MSP for Dumbarton since the Scottish Parliament was created in 1999, she became deputy leader of the party in 2020.

Ken Bruce has been made an MBE for services to Radio, to Autism Awareness and to Charity

Dame Jackie, who writes a weekly column for The Scotsman, said the honour was “totally unexpected”, with news of its award “coming as quite a shock”.

She said: “I understand I was nominated by constituents, and when you have represented people for 24 years this is such a humbling experience.

“And so I was delighted to accept on that basis.”

Sports stars are also recognised in the birthday honours list, with former Scotland and Rangers player John Greig being made a CBE for services to football and the community in Scotland.

Rangers legend John Greig is also honoured

He said: “I’m very honoured and proud to receive this. It’s most unexpected at my age.”

He credited his career with Rangers as being behind the honour, adding: “It’s a big honour and I look upon it as an honour to the club as well as myself.”

Wheelchair tennis star and Paralympic gold medal winner Gordon Reid becomes an OBE for services to tennis.

There is also royal recognition for those in the arts world with the chief officer and artistic director of Scottish Ballet, Christopher Hampson and Scottish Opera chair Peter Lawson both being made CBEs.

Cor Hutton, who had both legs and hands amputated in 2013 after a bout of sepsis, in Lochwinnoch, receives an honour

Mr Hampson said he feels “very honoured”, adding that “this particular recognition really helps me to shine a light on all that we’re doing around Scotland and internationally”.

Mr Lawson said: “I consider the honour as a recognition of the importance of culture in bettering everyone’s day-to-day life.”

Elsewhere, Scottish broadcaster Ken Bruce has become an MBE for service to radio, autism awareness and to charity.

Now presenting a show on Greatest Hits Radio after stepping down from BBC Radio 2 this spring where he spent 31 years, he said: “This is a great surprise and privilege.

“I hope it might help highlight the many difficulties autistic people face.”

His son, Murray, is autistic.

Fellow broadcaster Sally Magnusson, a presenter on BBC Scotland’s Reporting Scotland news programme, is made an MBE for services to people with dementia and their carers.

She founded the charity Playlist for Life in 2013 after observing the effect of music on her mother’s dementia. It works with families and care homes to encourage people to develop a playlist of personally meaningful music for those with dementia.

Three current and former Police Scotland officers have been recognised for their dedication to public service in the King’s Birthday Honours list.

Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham and retired assistant chief constable Kenny MacDonald were awarded the King’s Police Medal. Retired detective inspector Simon Broadhurst becomes an MBE.

A hospice chief who started her career in a chip shop, meanwhile, said being made an OBE “doesn’t happen” to people like her. Rhona Baillie, chief executive of the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow, said it was a “total shock” to be among the recipients.

Award-winning hairdresser Jill Lauder, 53, from Grangemouth, who started free pamper sessions for women with cancer said she did not feel “worthy” after being awarded a British Empire Medal.

Bill Gray, chair of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, meanwhile receives an MBE, while Scottish actor Kenneth Cranham becomes a CBE.

Several people were given honours for their role providing logistical support following the death of the late Queen, plans which were drawn up as Operation Unicorn.

Among them was Transport Scotland director Hugh Gillies, who becomes an OBE for services to transport at the time.

He said:

“As always with these events, there were many, many people were involved behind the scenes, and it is a tremendous honour to receive this accolade on their behalf.

Others awarded for their role in support of Operation Unicorn include Roy Brannen, interim director of net zero, energy and transport for the Scottish Government, who is made a CBE, and Roy Devon, head of events and exhibitions at the Scottish Parliament, who becomes an OBE.

Liz Tait, from Lossiemouth, an emergency r esponse volunteer for the British Red Cross has also been recognised for her assistance with the Queen’s state funeral, being given an British Empire Medal.

She volunteered to deployed during the week of public queuing as the Queen lay in state last September, helping to support members of the public.More recently, she helped Britons flee Sudan when conflict broke out.Elsewhere, those recognised include Finding Your Feet charity founder Cor Hutton, from Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire, who became a quadruple amputee after contracting sepsis and was the first Scot to undergo a successful double hand transplant.

She has undertaken several gruelling charity challenges, including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and is made an MBE for services to amputees and sepsis awareness.