Businessman and former Deputy Chairman of the Tory Party Lord Ashcroft has today written to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging him and The Queen to consider awarding the prestigious George Cross (GC) to the NHS for its service to the country during the current COVID-19 crisis.

In his letter he writes: "As the proud custodian of the world's largest collection of VCs and GCs and the author of six books on courage, I would like to make a humble suggestion to both you and the Queen for when you have your next audience together: would it not be fitting for Her Majesty to bestow a collective GC on the NHS for the incredible efforts of its staff in treating coronavirus patients?"

He adds: "As you know only too well from our discussions over the years, I have a passion for bravery, in general, and gallantry awards, in particular.

"On September 24, the George Cross (GC) will mark its 80th anniversary. It is a wonderful gallantry medal, created early in the Second World War by George VI primarily to reward the courage of civilians engaged in rescue work and bomb disposal teams.

"Relevant groups and charities, such as the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, have been considering the best way of marking this landmark anniversary. The award could even be announced to mark the 80th anniversary of the GC."

The GC is usually awarded to individuals but the rules and regulations relating to the GC also allow for a 'collective' award which has happened on two previous occasions: to the island of Malta in 1942 and to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in 1999.

He added: "As the seriousness and length of the Covid-19 emergency grows, I believe that the collective award of the GC to the NHS is the most appropriate way of recognising the astonishing efforts of those working for our public-funded healthcare system. I see in recent days a few people have started airing similar thoughts on social media.

"In recent days, it has become apparent just how much the nation is already indebted to our frontline health workers and this great respect for the NHS will only grow over the coming weeks and months.

"We are now nearly a month into the "lockdown" and the nation's weekly Thursday night clapping for the NHS gets louder and louder. In Manchester and other parts of the country, people have even painted roads with messages such as 'Thank you NHS'.

"During this current emergency, many people from all walks of life have stepped up to the plate – but it has been our 1.3 million NHS workers who have borne the brunt of the burden."

Read the full letter