Five MPs in running for public spending watchdog chair
By politics.co.uk staff
Parliament’s public spending watchdog is the select committee with the most number of candidates for next week’s chair elections.
The public accounts committee, which must be chaired by a Labour MP, will see one of Hugh Bayles, Brian Donohoe, Margaret Hodge, Michael Meacher or Iain Wright elected as its chair next Wednesday.
Austin Mitchell, who told politics.co.uk earlier this week he was interested in standing for the post, had not yet received the required 15 nominations from his own party.
Candidates have until Tuesday at 17:00 BST to gather the nominations required, which means more contenders could yet come forward.
MPs will then use the alternative vote system to elect chairs of the Commons’ select committees, with voting taking place between 10:00 BST and 17:00 BST.
The second most sought-after position appears to be the environmental, food and rural affairs committee, which has four Tories competing for the post.
Defence, foreign affairs, health and the public administration select committee have three candidates.
The Treasury committee, widely viewed as one of the most influential, only has one candidate – Michael Fallon. Tory backbench colleague Andrew Tyrie had been viewed as a potential challenger but his name is yet to appear on the list of valid nominations.
