Political Updates 8 October 2018

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

  Government departments

Andy Haldane, Chief Economist of the Bank of England, has been appointed as the Chair of the Industrial Strategy Council (more info).

Neil Grant, Paul Kirkman and Jonathan Sands have been appointed as Trustees of the Royal Armouries, each for a term of four years (more info).

Dr Alastair McPhail CMG OBE has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Her Majesty’s Non-Resident Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti and Permanent Representative to the African Union. Dr McPhail will take up his appointment in January 2019 (more info).

Paul Morton has stood down as Tax Director and Angela Knight will stand down from her role as Chair at the Office of Tax Simplification once replacements for both roles have been announced.

Marc Bolland has been appointed to the board of the Risk and Assurance Committee as Lead Non-Executive Director, and Alan Johnson has been appointed as Chair.

Andrea Sutcliffe is to stand down as Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission at the end of the year. She will take on the role of chief executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (more info).

Lottie Dominiczak has left her position as Special Adviser at the Department for Health and Social Care.

Richard Sloggett is Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock’s new policy adviser. He is joining from Hanover Communications.

Allan Nixon and Rashid Razaq have also joined the Department for Health and Social Care. Nixon will be responsible for parliamentary liaison and Razaq who was formerly at the Department for International Development will be Hancock’s speechwriter.

Beth Armstrong has joined the Department for Exiting the European Union.

House of Lords

Lord Prior of Brampton has resigned the Conservative Whip to sit as a Crossbencher following his appointment as Chair of NHS England. He will take up his new role on 31^stOctober.

Scottish Labour Party

Leader of the Scottish Labour Party Richard Leonard has taken up the Economy brief.

Anas Sarwar has been dismissed from his role as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport.

Jackie Baillie has been dismissed from her role as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work.

Alex Rowley has been appointed Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government.

Colin Smyth has been appointed Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Connectivity and Transport.

Monica Lennon has been appointed Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport.

Pauline McNeil has been appointed Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Equalities, Housing and Social Security.

Rhoda Grant has been appointed Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy.

European Parliament

This week the European Parliament is in Brussels for committee sessions.