Former Tory cabinet minister Sir David Gauke said it was “something of an accolade” to be repeatedly sent out to do tricky interviews for the governments he was part of, which led to the phrase “uncork the Gauke”.
The catchphrase was used in Westminster when Sir David, who held roles in Conservative government’s including lord chancellor, was sent out to defend policy changes and tackle media flare-ups.
Sir David, who was knighted during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, said it was BBC journalist Nick Robinson rather than a government member who first coined the phrase.
Asked what he thought of the saying, he told the Press Association: “It dates back to my time at the Treasury doing difficult questions at times of controversy.
“It was always quite fun, and I always took it as something of an accolade that I could be used at difficult moments.”
Sir David was knighted for services to the justice system (Jonathan Brady/PA)
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Sir David was among 70 people given honours by the Princess Royal.
He was made a knight for services to the justice system, after being nominated by former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer following his work on the independent sentencing review which resulted in the Sentencing Act 2026.
Sir David chaired the review of the justice system, which published its final report in May last year and led to reforms on the early release of offenders from jail and the scrapping of most prison sentences of fewer than 12 months.
The review made recommendations to tackle jail overcrowding and reoffending, and also resulted in criminals on fixed-term sentences now serving a third of their time behind bars before being released rather than half.
Sir David said it was ‘a really great privilege’ to be made a knight (Andrew Matthews/PA)
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Sir David told PA it was “a really great privilege” to be knighted, adding he was “delighted” about the honour.
He also said it was a “great privilege” to see Anne and discuss her “very close interest” in the justice system.
Also receiving an honour on Tuesday was former Chelsea and Fulham MP Sir Greg Hands, who was made a knight for parliamentary and political service.
Sir Greg held several government positions after his first appointment in 2011, and served as a trade minister four times under four different prime ministers between 2016 and 2024.
Sir Greg was also knighted at Windsor Castle on Tuesday (Andrew Matthews/PA)
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In 2018, he quit his role as minister of state in the Department for International Trade so he could vote to oppose the building of a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
Before Mr Burnham became Prime Minister, his predecessor Sir Keir and then-chancellor Rachel Reeves had backed the expansion at the UK’s busiest airport.
But since entering No 10, Mr Burnham has refused to confirm his support for the scheme, saying it was subject to a consultation and then the planning process.
Asked about what he would like the Government to do, Sir Greg told the Press Association: “I think I’d like to see them come back with a better option, which would be to expand more of London’s other airports.
“London is always better served by a series of airports.
“London is a very, very big city, and being served by just one hub airport, I don’t think is the right solution in the long run.
“So I think I’d like to see the Government come back with a more, sort of mature approach to London aviation.”
Sir Greg said it was ‘a huge honour’ to be made a knight (Jonathan Brady/PA)
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Sir Greg said the airport already has “quite a big impact” on people living near it, as he stressed the noise from planes can already be heard in nearby areas like Windsor and Chelsea and Fulham.
The former MP said it was “a huge honour” to be knighted, adding: “It feels very nice to be recognised.”
Sir Greg lost his Chelsea and Fulham seat to Labour’s Ben Coleman in the 2024 general election.
In May 2025, he was appointed an adviser to the Czech Republic’s EP Group, which took over Royal Mail last year.
Sir Greg was also appointed a strategic adviser for Energeticky a prumyslovy holding, an energy company headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic.