Political Updates 3rd April 2017

This week’s Political Updates, covers moves and changes at all levels of government. 

• On Wednesday, Article 50 was triggered by Prime Minister Teresa May, beginning the process of the United Kingdom negotiating its withdrawal from the European Union
• The main party candidates for the Manchester Gorton by-election have been announced. The by-election was called after the death of Sir Gerald Kaufman on 26 February 2017. Kaufman had represented the seat since 1983, and had represented Manchester Ardwick from 1970 until the Ardwick seat was abolished in 1983. He was the Father of the House of Commons from 2015 until his death The election will be held on the 4th May 2017. This will be on the same day as the Greater Manchester mayoral election and other nationwide local elections. The candidates are:

• Lord Colgrain has been elected to the House of Lords,  seeing off 26 other heridary peers in a by-election. The Conservative, an executive head-hunter and former High Sheriff of Kent, is the great-grandson of the Scottish banker Colin Campbell, for whom the title was created in 1946. The poll, in which all peers actively sitting were entitled to vote, was triggered by the death of Lord Lyell.

• The House of Commons will be on Recess from the 3rd April to the 18th April
• The House of Lords will be on Recess from the 6th April to the 24th April

Newly registered APPGs

• Belize, Chair: Bob Stewart (Conservative)
• Catalonia, Chair: George Kerevan (SNP)
• Turkmenistan, Chair: Nigel Mills (Conservative)
• Arrhythmias, Chair: Mike Gapes (Conservative)
• Artificial Intelligence, Chair: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative)
• Boys’ Brigade, Chair: Owen Thompson (SNP)
• Children who need Palliative Care, Chair: Stuart Andrew (Conservative)
• Clinical Leadership and Management, Chair: Dr Andrew Murrison (Conservative)
• Forestry, Chair: Chris Davies
• Further Education and Lifelong Learning, Chair: Peter Kyle (Labour)
• Future of Work, Chair: Daniel Zeichner
• Greater Manchester, Chair: Lucy Powell (Labour)
• Key Cities, Chair: Emma Reynolds (Labour)
• Motorsport, Chair: Alec Shelbrooke (Conservative)
• Ship building, Chair: Mr Kevan Jones (Labour)
• Vaccinations for All, Chair: Dr Philippa Whitford (SNP)

Disbanded APPGs

• Virgin Islands
• Eye and Visual Impairment
• Headache Disorders
• Photography
• Rowing
• World Governance

Scottish Parliament

• On Tuesday, the Scottish Parliament voted in favour of holding a referendum on Scottish Independence, 69 MSPs voted for the motion 59 MSPs voted against.

Northern Ireland Assembly

• Following the breakdown in talks between the DUP and Sinn Féin, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire MP has removed the prospect of a second snap election and told reporters that there was no appetite for another contest. He has said that he would bring legislation to the House of Commons after the Easter recess – on 18 April – depending on the outcome of the talks.

• This week the Members of the European Parliament will be based in Strasbourg for Plenary Sessions