Political Updates 15th July 2019

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

UK Government 

Sir Kim Darroch has resigned as UK ambassador to the US due to leaked emails which were critical of President Trump’s administration.

Professor Gideon Henderson has been appointed as the new Defra Chief Scientist.

Venerable Olivia Josephine Graham has been nominated to the Suffragan See of Reading.

David Jones OBE has been appointed as the Chair of Qualifications Wales, and will begin this role in September 2019.

House of Commons

Luciana Berger, Heidi Allen, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith have founded The Independents, which is a “workers collective”, not a political party. John Woodcock has left the Labour Party to join The Independents.

Teresa Pearce, MP for Erith and Thamesmead has said that she will step-down in the next election.

Guto Bebb has announced that he will stand down as a Conservative candidate in the next general election as he is unhappy with the direction of the Conservative Party.

Kate Hoey has announced that she will stand down as a Labour MP at the next election.

House of Lords

Lord Turnberg, Lord Triesman and Lord Darzi have resigned from the Labour Group in the House of Lords due to anti-Semitism within the Labour Party.