Former Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Spokesperson David Howarth has been re-appointed as an electoral commissioner by the Queen.
From the Cambridge News:
The appointment was announced this morning in the House of Commons before the start of the day’s business, with Mr Howarth joined by Lord Horam.
The chair of the Electoral Commission and other electoral commissioners are appointed by the Queen at the request of parliament and are charged with ensuring fair and proper running of elections.
Liberal Democrat Mr Howarth previously served as a commissioner from October 2010 to September 2013.
The Electoral Commission website has more on the roles and responsibilities of the Commissioners..
During his last stint as a Commissioner he co-wrote the foreword to a report which started to look at a new structure for electoral law across the UK. The report outlined the 25 pieces of legislation which govern elections and looked at how those could be streamlined.
Perhaps David will now be involved in carrying that work forward.
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2 Comments
Excellent news. David brings a detailed knowledge of the sharp end of practical politics – he built up his council group from 3rd place to 1st, and was leader of the council before winning his parliamentary seat – as well as an unrivalled forensic insight into British politics, with an all-too-rare multidisciplinary approach. Along with a real commitment to freedom of information, this makes him a very canny choice for an Electoral Commissioner. His thoughts are invariably well-considered, making them impossible to ignore, and he has an infuriating tendency to always be right, even if it may not always seem that way at first. (The few times I’ve disagreed with him on something, I’ve subsequenly reassessed my own views, eaten humble pie and admitted that with hindsight, he was right all along.) I miss his distinctive contributions in Parliament, and am glad he’s still playing a part in the political process, even if it’s as a politically neutral Electoral Commissioner.
Well done, David!