Brexit-backing Wetherspoons boss to be knighted in New Year Honours

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Brexit-backing pub tycoon Tim Martin is in line for a knighthood in the King’s New Year Honours. open image in gallery Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin was regularly seen campaigning for Brexit Business secretary Kemi Badenoch pushed for his candidacy behind the scenes, the Daily Mail reported, arguing that it is wrong for successful entrepreneurs to be overlooked by the establishment because they supported Brexit. And high profile Brexiteers welcomed the news, with Nigel Farage hailing Mr Martin a “Brexit legend” and Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg saying he was “delighted”. “We need democracy in Russia, especially in the nuclear age - and my bone to pick with the EU is you don’t elect the president by universal suffrage and MEPs can’t initiate legislation and the ECJ, the court, isn’t accountable to Parliament.” open image in gallery Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin called Boris Johnson a ‘winner’ when he ran in the Conservative leadership race Mr Martin made headlines when he pledged to reduce the price of alcohol in his pubs to an “unbelievably low” price if Mr Johnson successfully managed to leave the EU by October 2019.