Political Updates 26 February 2019

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

  Government

Mark McAllister has been appointed as the new Chair of the Office for Nuclear Regulation, replacing Nick Baldwin on 1^st April 2019 (more info).

David Fleming, Max Steinberg and Sarah Dean have been appointed as trustees of the National Museums Liverpool Board, each for a term of four years, commencing on 1^st March 2019 (more info).

Jeremy Penn and Mark Stanhope have been reappointed as trustees of the Royal Museums Greenwich, for a term of four years, commencing on 1^st February 2019 (more info).

Christopher Trott has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan. He will take up his role in May 2019 (more info).

Cynthia Dubin has been appointed as non-executive director of the Competition and Markets Authority. Colleen Keck, Karthik Subramanya, Maria da Cunha, Paul Hughes, Robin Foster and Shrinivas Honap as panel members (more info).

Wanda Goldway has been named Chair of the Financial Services Consumer Panel, for a three year term, commencing on 1^st March 2019 (more info).

Air Marshal Sue Gray has been appointed Director-General of the Defence Safety Authority (more info).

Sara Thornton has been appointed as the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner at the Home Office (more info).

House of Commons

Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West, passed away on 17^th February.

Angela Smith, Ann Coffey, Chris Leslie, Chuka Umunna, Gavin Shuker, Luciana Berger, Mike Gapes and Joan Ryan have defected from the Labour Party to form The Independent Group.

Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston have left the Conservative Party to sit with The Independent Group.

Ian Austin has left the Labour Party to sit as an Independent.

Bambos Charalambous has replaced Helen Jones as a member of the Finance Committee.

Alison Thewliss, Emma Dent Coad, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Mark Menzies, Mark Pawsey and Peter Aldous have been appointed as members of the newly created Joint Committee on the Draft Registration of Overseas Entities Bill.

House of Lords

Baroness Barker, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Lord Faulks, Lord Garnier, Lord Haworth and Lord St John of Bletso have been appointed as members of the newly created Joint Committee on the Draft Registration of Overseas Entities Bill.

Plaid Cymru

Elfyn Llwyd has been appointed as the Shadow Counsel General for Plaid Cymru (more info).

European Parliament

This week, the European Parliament is in Brussels for committee meetings. On Friday, external parliamentary activities are scheduled.