Lorely Burt wins election contest

No, not that election contest: the one to decide who will chair the Parliamentary Party, a post from which Paul Holmes stood down on his appointment to the Lib Dem shadow cabinet. Hearty congratulations to Lorely; commiserations to the runners up, Andrew George and John Thurso.

Here’s the full party press release:

Liberal Democrat MPs made history tonight by electing for the first time one of their female MPs to be the Chair of their House of Commons Parliamentary Party.

Lorely Burt, MP for Solihull and Liberal Democrat Business and Enterprise Spokesperson, was elected after a contest in which she defeated two other candidates for the job.

Responding to her appointment, Lorely Burt MP said:

“I am absolutely thrilled to have been elected after a close contest. The Party has a job to do: to bring Liberal Democrat policies to the forefront of British politics. In a small way I hope to be able to contribute to that.”

President of the Liberal Democrats, Simon Hughes MP said:

“Lorely deserves hearty congratulations. She has already shown she is a popular colleague in and beyond the Liberal Democrats in the House of Commons, and she will have the support and encouragement of all other Liberal Democrat MPs.”

Notes to Editors:

1) This post is the Chair of the Parliamentary Party in the House of Commons. The Liberal Democrats do not have a post of Liberal Democrat Party Chair.

2) The post became available due to the necessary resignation of Paul Holmes MP earlier in the year, following his appointment to the Shadow Cabinet.

3) Lorely Burt MP will take over immediately and will hold the post through the 2007/2008 session.