Defence Select Committee

Towards the end of the last parliament the Select Committee was unflinching its criticism of the MoD, the last couple of reports definately pulled no punches.

Read the transcripts of the sessions, rather than the sanitised final reports and it is clear that the relationship between the committee and military and civilian staff at the MoD was difficult to say the least.

The old committee consisted of the following

Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP (Chair)North East HampshireConservative
Mr David S Borrow MPSouth RibbleLabour
Mr David Crausby MPBolton North EastLabour
Linda Gilroy MPPlymouth SuttonLabour
Mr David Hamilton MPMidlothianLabour
Mr Mike Hancock MPPortsmouth South Liberal Democrats
Mr Dai Havard MPMerthyr Tydfil and RhymneyLabour
Mr Adam Holloway MPGraveshamConservative
Mr Bernard Jenkin MPNorth Essex Conservative
Mr Brian Jenkins MPTamworthLabour
Mr Kevan Jones MPDurham NorthLabour
Robert Key MPSalisburyConservative
Willie Rennie MPDunfermline and West FifeLiberal Democrats
Mrs Madeleine Moon MPBridgendLabour
John Smith MPVale of Glamorgan Labour
Richard Younger-Ross MPTeignbridgeLiberal Democrats

For the new committee the final appointees aren’t completely in yet (no Liberal Democrats) but this is the story so far.

The Conservative and Labour survivors are to the top of the table and the new members beneath.

Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP (Chair)North East HampshireJames Arbuthnot Defence Select CommitteeConservative
Mr Julian Brazier MP

Spoke at the Strategic Defence and Security Review debate
CanterburyJulian Brazier Defence Select CommitteeConservative
John Glen MPSalisburyJohn Glen Defence Select CommitteeConservative
Mr Adam Holloway MPGraveshamAdam Holloway Defence Select CommitteeConservative
Bob Stewart MP

Spoke at the Strategic Defence and Security Review debate
BeckenhamBob Stewart Defence Select CommitteeConservative
Rt Hon Jeffrey M. Donaldson MP

Spoke at the Strategic Defence and Security Review debate
Lagan ValleyJeffrey Donaldson Defence Select CommitteeDemocratic Unionist
Mr David Hamilton MPMidlothianDavid Hamilton Defence Select CommitteeLabour
Mrs Madeleine Moon MP

Spoke at the Strategic Defence and Security Review debate
BridgendMadeleine Moon Defence Select CommitteeLabour
Alison Seabeck MP

Spoke at the Strategic Defence and Security Review debate
Plymouth, Moor ViewAlison Seabeck Defence Select CommitteeLabour
Ms Gisela Stuart MP

Spoke at the Strategic Defence and Security Review debate
Birmingham, EdgbastonGisela Stuart Defence Select CommitteeLabour
John Woodcock MP

Spoke at the Strategic Defence and Security Review debate
Barrow and Furness
John Woodcock Defence Select CommitteeLabour / Co-operative
Mr Mike Hancock MPPortsmouth SouthMike Hancock Defence Select CommitteeLiberal Democrat

As the MoD wrestles with its runaway equipment programme, implements budget cuts and manage overseas operations, the job of the select committee is as important as ever.

There has to be a strong team.

What about the new members

Alison Seabeck, Labour MP for Plymouth Moor, formerly Plymouth Devonport (spot he naval connection) and is the partner of Nick Raynsford MP, the same Nick Raynsford that was reported as earning thousands from construction organisations connected with his ministerial position.

Gisela Stuart, Labour MP for Birmingham Edgebaston brings some useful foreign affairs experience to the committee, having served on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

John Woodcock, Labour MP for Barrow and Furness and is a strong advocate of anything to do with submarines, remind me what gets built at Barrow.

Julian Brazier, Conservative MP for Canterbury and Whistable with a long military background, just don’t ask him about gay rights though.

John Glen, Conservative MP for Salisbury, part of the 2010 intake of new MP’s.

Bob Stuart, Conservative MP for Beckenham and the well known former commander of the Cheshire Regiment, BBC soundbite man and general thorn in the side of the MoD. One of his best quotes in relation to the MoD is accusing them of acting with the speed of  a striking sloth, I have high hopes for Bob, a real soldier with an interesting background, exactly what we need.

For example, when asked what he could do that outgoing MP Jacqui Lait could not, he replied: “I can ejaculate!” He later tried to backtrack by insisting he used the word “educate”

Priceless

The only problem I have so far is with those not on the list.

If the list is correct, it’s source being the FT’s Westminster Blog, it would seem that the Liberal Democrats yet to be appointed will outnumber the Conservative and Labour members.

What.

Eh.

Surely some mistake.

It will be interesting to see the remaining pieces of the jigsaw fall into place.

UPDATE

I had not picked up that the new select committee have been reduced in size so the Liberal Democrats only have 2 positions.

Thanks to ‘A’ in comments

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4 Comments

  1. A says:

    “it would seem that the Liberal Democrats yet to be appointed will outnumber the Conservative and Labour members.”

    The size of select committees have been reduced, I belive, to 11 members (+ the chairman). So just 2 LibDems left to be chosen

  2. admin says:

    Ah, I see

    Thanks for the info A and welcome to TD

  3. Jedibeeftrix says:

    it does appear the Cons are rather unrepresented……?

  4. Dangerous Dave says:

    Does seem a bit odd that there should be 1 more LAB than CON on the committee, unless the coalition govt. are confident that the LIBs will vote with the CONs (in which case they have a majority of 1) . . .

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