Political Updates 16th January 2017
This week’s Political Updates, covers moves and changes at all levels of government.
House of Commons
Tristram Hunt (LAB) MP has announced he will be resigning his Stoke-on-Trent Central seat. He won the seat in 2015 with a majority of 5,179.
Copeland by-election
- The Labour Party has put together an all-female shortlist for the by-election: Rachel Holliday, Gillian Troughton and Barbara Cannon.
- Rebecca Hanson councillor on Cockermouth Town Council, has been selected by the Liberal Democrats to contest the election.
Select Committees
Regulatory Reform: Andrew Percy (CON) and Christopher Pincher (CON) left; Stephen McPartland (CON) and Mark Menzies (CON) joined.
Finance: Jake Berry (CON) left; Stephen McPartland (CON) joined.
Administration: James Gray (CON) left; Mary Robinson (CON) joined.
House of Lords
Lord Lyell passed away on 10 January. As a hereditary peer there will be a by-election to choose another hereditary peer to fill his seat.
Lord Carlile of Berriew has left the Liberal Democrats, and will now sit as a Non-affiliate peer in the Lords.
Scottish Parliament
A number of committees have changed their names to reflect expansions in their scope:
- Finance and Constitution Committee – formerly the Finance Committee
- Public Audit and Post-Legislative and Scrutiny Committee– formerly Public Audit Committee
- Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee – formerly the European and External Relations Committee
- Equalities and Human Rights Committee – formerly the Equal Opportunities Committee
New Cross Party Groups
- Brexit – Alex Neil (Convener)
- Improving Scotlans’s Health: 2021 and Beyond – Jenny Marra (Co-Convener) and Kenneth Gibson (Co-Convener)
- Nuclear Disarmament – Bill Kidd (Convener)
Northern Ireland Assembly
Martin McGuinness resigned his position as Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. As a result of the First and Deputy Ministers being a joint office, Arlene Foster is no longer First Minister.
Today, Monday 16th January is the deadline for Sinn Fein and the DUP to come to an agreement and each nominate a First and Deputy First Minister, otherwise the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will call an election for the Assembly.
Local Government
- Katherine Fairclough has been appointed Chief Executive of Cumbria County Council.
European Parliament
This week the Members of the European Parliament will be based in Strasbourg for a Plenary Session.
Tomorrow, Tuesday 17th January, Members of the European Parliament will vote in the election for the President of the Parliament. The final list of candidates is:
- Eleonora Forenza – European United Left-Nordic Green Left Group
- Jean Lambert – Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
- Gianni Pittella – Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group
- Laurentiu Rebega – Europe of Nations and Freedom Group
- Helga Stevens – European Conservatives and Reformists Group
- Antonio Tajani – European People’s Party Group
- Guy Verhofstadt – Group of Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
On 9th January the Movimento 5 Stelle had its bid to join the ALDE group rejected, and so will remain in the EFDD Group.
What’s happening in 2017?
A ‘week is a long time in politics’, but there are some things we can expect:
- 17th January – European Parliament Presidency election.
- TBC – Copeland by-election
- TBC – Liverpool, Walton by-election
- TBC – Leigh by-election
- TBC – Stoke-on-Trent by-election
- 8th March – Spring Budget
- 17th – 18th March – Conservative Party Spring Conference
- 17th – 19th March – Liberal Democrat Spring Conference
- March – expected triggering of Article 50
- 4th May – Local Elections (England, Wales, and Scotland)
- 4th May – Metro Mayor elections: Greater Manchester, West Midlands, Liverpool, Sheffield City Region, West of England and Tees Valley.
- May (date tbc) – State Opening of Parliament and Queen’s Speech
- 16th – 20th Sept – Liberal Democrat Party Conference
- 24th – 27th Sept – Labour Party Conference
- 1st – 4th Oct – Conservative Party Conference
- 13th – 15th Oct – Scottish National Party Conference
- TBC – Autumn Budget
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