He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2013 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to public and political services. He is a Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands and Co-Founder of Stonewall.
Elected to the European Parliament, representing the Labour
Party, one of eight MEPs representing the West Midlands region.
Retired from acting to take up the position of Labour MEP for the West Midlands.
Founding member of Stonewall, a gay rights campaign organization.
He registered a civil partnership with Paul Cottingham, his partner of over twenty years, on 11 March 2006.