Nick Clegg 'to receive a knighthood in New Year's Honours' – but do you think he deserves one?

The ex-Liberal Democrats leader, who lost his Sheffield Hallam seat in this year's general election, is expected to become 'Sir Nick' when the full list is published this weekend.

The 50-year-old Remainer will be honoured for his political and public service, senior party sources have revealed.

But the knighthood is expected to cause some controversy and comes after Nigel Farage claimed he had been overlooked for the same honour because he supported Brexit at the EU referendum in 2016.

Party members say Mr Clegg, who is an ardent supporter of the European Union and has called for a second referendum on Brexit, is being recognised for his time at the helm of the United Kingdom.

Fellow Lib Dems Sir Vince Cable and Sir Ed Davey, who also served in the Coalition government, have already received knighthoods.

A Liberal Democrats spokesman has said that the party would not be commenting on 'any honours list speculation'.

Since losing his seat in Parliament in June, Mr Clegg has continued to speak out in support of remaining in the EU.

And in September he suggested that Brexit should be put to a second referendum because people who voted Leave are dying off.

He was reported as saying that said the 'high point' of support for Brexit had passed because 'the oldest voters voted for Brexit in the largest numbers' while the young voted to remain in the EU.

Mr Clegg, who was a Member of the European Parliament for East Midlands between 1999 and 2004, has also written a book called How To Stop Brexit (And Make Britain Great Again), which was published in October.

While former Ukip leader and influential Brexit campaigner Mr Farage revealed at the weekend that he would not be receiving an honour because of his political allegiances.

He was quoted as saying “Of course I have not got an honour of any kind – I am not a Remainer."

It came after claims that Ukip’s former MP Douglas Carswell blocked attempts to give Mr Farage a knighthood at last year’s New Year honours.

Mr Clegg was leader of the Liberal Democrats between 2007 and 2015 and Deputy Prime Minister for five years from 2010 until 2015.

During his rein with the Coalition government he came under a huge amount of criticism for some of its policies.

The decision to increase university tuition fees having pledged not to during the election campaign, in particular, was cited as having particularly damaged his party’s relations with the voting public.

Meanwhile, there have also been reports that Beatles drummer Ringo Starr will also receive a knighthood in the New Year’s honours list.

It would mean the 77-year-old would join his bandmate Sir Paul McCartney as a knight, 52 years after receiving an MBE.

The knighthood is expected to be awarded for services to music and charity and announced next week along with a full list of official recipients.