New award for emergency service staff who die in line of duty

Bryn Hughes said he felt "some pride" after campaigning for the honour following his daughter's death

A new award for UK emergency service workers who die in the line of duty has been announced, after a campaign by the father of a murdered police officer.

Named after the late Queen, the Elizabeth Emblem will be given to the families of public servants.

Bryn Hughes, whose daughter PC Nicola Hughes was killed in an ambush in 2012, has been calling for two years for an award to recognise these sacrifices.

NHS workers who died during the pandemic will also be eligible.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said: "We will not forget those who died in our service."

He added: "The Elizabeth Emblem will bring the nation together to honour the dedication and commitment of these exceptional public servants who have given their lives in service of the United Kingdom."

The Elizabeth Emblem incorporates a rosemary wreath around the Tudor Crown

The award is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK armed forces who have died in action or due to a terrorist attack.

The Elizabeth Emblem can be retrospectively awarded; eligible nominations will be for deaths which occurred on or after 1 January 1948 or have taken place in Palestine between 27 September 1945 and 31 December 1947, which mirrors the eligibility of the Elizabeth Cross.

Mr Hughes previously said he started his campaign after being "surprised" there was no official state recognition specifically for emergency service workers who had died in the line of duty.

His daughter, a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer, was murdered alongside colleague Fiona Bone responding to a bogus 999 call in September 2012.

Mr Hughes said there were times when he found the wait for the government's introduction of the posthumous honour "confusing and disappointing".

With today's announcement of the new award for public servants, he told BBC North West Tonight: "I was always thinking it's going to be a dozen or two dozen [affected].

"But you're talking hundreds, if not thousands of people."

Symbol of remembrance

Mr Hughes, who set up a charity for children who have lost parents due to crime, said he felt "some pride" after the efforts of himself and other affected families to introduce the award.

He added Ms Hughes would be "really proud and I think she'd be embarrassed at it being associated with her - she'd be, 'oh, this is because of me'".

The design of the Elizabeth Emblem includes a rosemary wreath - a symbol of remembrance - around the Tudor Crown.

It will be inscribed with "For A Life Given In Service" and will have the person's name on the reverse.

Relatives can apply for the Emblem on the government's website. They will be reviewed by the George Cross Committee and recommendations made via the Prime Minister to the King.

Policing Minister Chris Philp said: "We owe so much to our public servants who make sacrifices every day to keep us safe.

"The Elizabeth Emblem will recognise those who tragically lost their lives in public service and rightly enshrine them in our country's history so that their sacrifices are never forgotten."

Recipients will receive the award from a senior public representative, such as a chief constable or chief fire officer.

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