Select Committee Chairs

MPs made history yesterday, for the first time ever Parliamentarians elected Chairs to the House of Common's influential Select Committees, this will undoubtedly strengthen the ability the of the committees to scrutinise Government. The results have now been announced - see below for the full list.

The following candidates have been elected unopposed as select committee chairs:

• Culture, Media and Sport: Mr John Whittingdale
• International Development: Malcolm Bruce
• Justice: Sir Alan Beith
• Northern Ireland: Mr Laurence Robertson
• Procedure: Mr Greg Knight
• Scottish Affairs: Mr Ian Davidson
• Transport: Mrs Louise Ellman
• Welsh Affairs: David T. C. Davies

The following candidates have been elected as select committee chairs by secret ballot, under the Alternative Vote system:

• Business, Innovation and Skills Mr Adrian Bailey
• Children, Schools and Families (Education) Mr Graham Stuart
• Communities and Local Government Mr Clive Betts
• Defence Mr James Arbuthnot
• Energy and Climate Change Mr Tim Yeo
• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Miss Anne McIntosh
• Environmental Audit Joan Walley
• Foreign Affairs Richard Ottaway
• Health Mr Stephen Dorrell
• Home Affairs Keith Vaz 
• Political and Constitutional Reform Mr Graham Allen 
• Public Accounts Margaret Hodge 
• Public Administration Mr Bernard Jenkin 
• Science and Technology Andrew Miller 
• Treasury Mr Andrew Tyrie 
• Work and Pensions Miss Anne Begg 

And then there were five...

A one minute silence for the Cumbrian people marked the start of a sombre PMQs today. Nothing of great significance to report from the questioning, as the real drama was going on behind the scenes. 

Diane Abbot's campaign for nomination received a much needed boost this morning, with John McDonnell pulling out of the race. Paul Waugh has an excellent account of how Diane achieved the 33 required nominations at the very last moment. 

So, we now have five Labour leadership candidates: 

• Rt Hon David Milliband MP
• Rt Hon Ed Milliband MP
• Rt Hon Ed Balls MP
• Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP
• Diane Abbott MP

Four of which are former special advisers and government ministers, with distinct policy differences yet to be exposed, it should make for an interesting few months of debate.  

Key dates for your calendar: 

Wednesday 8 September: Freeze date for new members to join the Labour Party and be eligible to vote in the leadership election.
Wednesday 22 September: Balloting closes.
Saturday 25 September: Announcement of ballot result.
Sunday 26 September: Labour Conference begins.

Spending Review Framework announced

The Chancellor today set out t Spending Review Framework, which is to conclude in the Autumn. Full details below:

• require departments to submit their initial plans to deliver their priorities before the Summer Recess and demonstrate that they meet a tough new set of criteria to deliver value for money. The criteria cover questions such as: is the activity being funded essential to the Government’s priorities, does the Government need to fund the activity, and can it be provided more efficiently?
  
• start a period of external engagement between the Government and all parts of society including; the private sector, the general public, voluntary/charitable organisations and experts, in order to obtain the best ideas from those most involved in and affected by public services
  
• establish a new Star Chamber chaired by the Chancellor and Chief Secretary and drawing on the expertise of other senior Cabinet Ministers to ensure that the Government challenges every department’s spending plans to ensure that they deliver more for less. Other Cabinet Ministers will be considered to join the group, once they have settled their department’s budget. 
• seek input from the brightest and best individuals in this SR by establishing a Spending Review Challenge Group of experts – both from within Government and outside – to act as independent challengers and champions for departments throughout the process. Their remit will be to think innovatively about the options for reducing public expenditure while balancing priorities.
  
• require each Secretary of State to appoint a Minister with specific responsibility for driving value for money across their department, identifying savings opportunities and playing an important role in challenging spending in all areas, including on contracts and programmes.
  
• comprehensively examine areas such as: social security, tax credits and public service pensions as part of the process
  
• end the previous administration’s complex system of Public Service Agreements that relied too heavily on rigid targets and instead ask departments to publish business plans that show the resources they need to put in place in order to protect key frontline services and deliver on their objectives.

Full details of the framework can be found here

Key Dates

Emergency Budget – June 22, 2010

Summer Recess – House Rises 29 July, 2010 Returns 6 September, 2010

Ministerial Appointments

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 
Minister of State – The Rt Hon Lord Howell* 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Henry Bellingham MP 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Alistair Burt MP

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Crispin Blunt MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State –  Jonathan Djanogly MP

HOME OFFICE 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities) – Lynne Featherstone MP

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Gerald Howarth MP 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Andrew Robathan MP

DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Edward Davey MP 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – John Penrose MP (jointly with the Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sports)

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Baroness Wilcox 
DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Maria Miller MP 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Welfare Reform) – Lord Freud*

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Anne Milton MP 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Earl Howe

DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Tim Loughton MP

DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Andrew Stunell OBE MP 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Bob Neill MP 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Baroness Hanham CBE

DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Norman Baker MP 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Mike Penning MP

DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Richard Benyon MP 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Lord Henley

DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Stephen O’Brien MP

SCOTLAND OFFICE 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – David Mundell MP

WALES OFFICE
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – David Jones MP

DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE, OLYMPICS, MEDIA AND SPORT 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – John Penrose MP (jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills)

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Hugh Robertson MP 
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – The Hon Ed Vaizey MP

OFFICE OF THE LEADER OF THE COMMONS 
Parliamentary Secretary (Deputy Leader) – David Heath CBE MP*

CABINET OFFICE Parliamentary Secretary – Mark Harper MP Parliamentary Secretary – Nick Hurd MP

LAW OFFICERS 
Advocate General for Scotland –  The Rt Hon Lord Wallace of Tankerness

WHIPS – HOUSE OF COMMONS 
Deputy Chief Whip (Treasurer of HM Household) – John Randall MP 
Deputy Chief Whip (Comptroller of HM Household) – Alistair Carmichael MP 
Government Whip (Vice Chamberlain of HM Household) – Mark Francois MP

WHIPS - HOUSE OF LORDS
Lords Chief Whip (Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms) – The Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE 
Deputy Chief Whip (Captain of The Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard) – Lord Shutt of Greetland OBE

*       unpaid

Coalition Cabinet

Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service

The Rt Hon David Cameron MP

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council (with special responsibility for political and constitutional reform)

The Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP

First Secretary of State, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

The Rt Hon William Hague MP

Chancellor of the Exchequer

George Osborne MP

Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice

The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP

Secretary of State for the Home Department; and Minister for Women and Equalities

The Rt Hon Theresa May MP

Secretary of State for Defence

Dr Liam Fox MP

Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

Dr Vincent Cable MP

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

Chris Huhne MP

Secretary of State for Health

Andrew Lansley CBE MP

Secretary of State for Education

Michael Gove MP

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

Eric Pickles MP

Secretary of State for Transport

Philip Hammond MP

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Caroline Spelman MP

Secretary of State for International Development

Andrew Mitchell MP

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Owen Paterson MP

Secretary of State for Scotland (and providing ministerial support to the Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet Office)

Danny Alexander MP

Secretary of State for Wales

Cheryl Gillan MP

Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport

Jeremy Hunt MP

Chief Secretary to the Treasury

David Laws MP

Leader of the House of Lords, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

The Rt Hon Lord Strathclyde

Minister without Portfolio (Minister of State) *

Baroness Warsi

* Unpaid

Also attending Cabinet meetings:

Minister for the Cabinet Office, Paymaster General

The Rt Hon Francis Maude MP

Minister of State – Cabinet Office (providing policy advice to the Prime Minister in the Cabinet Office)

The Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP

Minister of State (Universities and Science) – Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

David Willetts MP

Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Privy Seal

The Rt Hon Sir George Young Bt MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip

The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP

Also invited to attend Cabinet meetings when required:

Attorney-General - Dominic Grieve QC MP

A Coalition Agreement

In their first press conference together, the Prime Minister and the Deputy PM, outlined their vision for coalition government over a fixed five year term of Parliament. They launched their seven page document detailing the agreement, which can be viewed in full below.

The atmosphere between the two leaders was warm and supportive, almost too much at times, with some journalists suggesting all that was missing was the confetti! Joking aside, the press conference gives us a brief taste of the style of coalition to expect. A final Coalition Agreement, covering the full range of policy including foreign, defence and domestic policy will be published soon. 

Interestingly, it appears the Lib Dems will have a minister in every government department, these ministers and the four secretaries of state can only be sacked by the Deputy PM. Update: This has since been denied, the PM will have the power to sack any member of government.

Agreement.12.5.10
The coalition cabinet is taking shape; the following appointments have been confirmed thus far:

• Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - The Rt Hon William Hague MP Chancellor of the Exchequer - George Osborne MP 
• Secretary of State for Defence - Dr Liam Fox MP 
• Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice - Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke 
• Chief Whip - The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP 
• Secretary of State for the Home Department and Minister for Women and Equality -Theresa May MP 
• Secretary of State for Health - Andrew Lansley CBE MP 
• Chief Secretary to the Treasury - David Laws MP 
• Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills - Dr Vince Cable MP 
• Secretary of State for Education - Michael Gove MP 
• Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport - Jeremy Hunt MP

A New Era of British Politics

David Cameron has finally reached the door of No.10, in his first speech as Prime Minister he confirmed that a formal coalition with Liberal Democrats would be established, it has now emerged that the Lib Dems are likely to have five seats in cabinet and Nick Clegg has been confirmed as Deputy Prime Minister this morning.

The Prime Minister stated, “Nick Clegg and I are both political leaders who want to put aside party differences and work hard for the common good and for the national interest. I believe that is the best way to get the strong government that we need, decisive government that we need today.”

Nick Clegg confirmed early this morning that his parliamentary party and the Federal Executive Committee has overwhelmingly endorsed entering into a coalition government, Clegg attempted to allay fears within Lib Dem circles that swathes of their core vote may desert them, looking straight into camera he said, "I want to assure you that I wouldn't have entered into this agreement unless I was genuinely convinced that it offers a unique opportunity to deliver the kind of changes that you and I believe in."

Now the drama of the last six days has finally reached a conclusion, it is  time to understand how parliament and government will work in these extraordinary circumstances, some immediate points of interest below:

The musical chairs will make for a fascinating first prime minister's questions, which feasibly might not be held until June 9 but could be the week before. Convention dictates that the second set of questions at PMQs - the permanent chance to hold the prime minister to account - is handed to the second largest opposition party.

The DUP - currently leaderless at Westminster after Peter Robinson lost his East Belfast seat last week - is in pole position with eight seats. The decision on whether this convention should continue would ultimately be the Speaker's, but expect some sort of row to break out here.

How opposition days are organised remains also remains a question to be answered, while the organisation of votes and whipping will make for a delicate arrangement. They may also have to strike some sort of deal on the election of the three deputy speakers who, for the first time, will be elected on the single transferable vote system.

Expect a lot of bartering on the composition of select committees. According to standing orders, a new edition of which has already been published, this has to be settled on within two weeks of the state opening, but their likely make up would also be altered under a coalition.

More details on the full cabinet to follow...

Hung Parliament

For the first time in decades the British electorate have delivered a hung parliament, with no party winning the magic number of 326 seats in the House of Commons, the amount required to command a majority. 

Cue frantic negotiations between the Tories and Lib Dems, which have been described as ‘positive and constructive’. Meanwhile Gordon Brown remains our Prime Minster, though his reign looks set to end very soon. With the Tories and Lib Dems consulting their MPs today, a deal looks set to emerge this evening.

Despite Labour attempts to court the Lib Dems, with details of a secret meeting over the weekend now surfacing it seems a Con-Lib pact is the most likely conclusion to this election. Details of the pact are yet to emerge, as is the stance the Tories have taken on electoral reform, a central tenet of Lib Dem policy.