The appointments of various LibDem MPs to be PPS to ministers have been rather low-profile, so in case you have missed any here is the complete list:
Gordon Birtwistle – PPS to Danny Alexander
Mike Crockart – PPS to Michael Moore
Duncan Hames – PPS to Sarah Teather
Jo Swinson – PPS to Vince Cable
Jenny Willott – PPS to Chris Huhne
and in addition Norman Lamb as Chief Parliamentary and Political Adviser to Nick Clegg is also his PPS.
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10 Comments
Whilst I would like to congratulate evryone who has been appointed a PPS to our Cabinet and other ministers I cant help asking – so which MPs are going to be free to speak up on behalf of the ordinary members of the Party.
Isn’t it a bit of an error appionting first time MPs as PPCs given this means they can’t do all the useful campaigning things like sign early day motions etc?
Gordon Birtwistle is PPS to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Birtwistle
Sarah Teather is only a Minister of State so she doesn’t get a PPS – I think. If one MofS gets a PS they will all want one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_Hames
What is the source of your list?
@Rabi I see what you mean, however the fact is that we’re in government now, not opposition – we need to get the most out of power by using it, and engaging with it, not protesting it. Look at Labour, how their members basically sat by whilst their MPs did horrible things – and said, you know what, it’s nothing to do with us – they’re our MPs, let’s not try to block them and “speak up” against them all the time, but actually talk to them and help them.
Chris: apologies to Gordon, I left him off. Now corrected. Duncan’s inclusion is correct though.
Technically they only aren’t allowed to speak on issues concerning the portfolio they cover. So they can campaign on pretty much anything else, although they are supposed to avoid criticizing Government policy directly and are also part of the pay role vote.
‘ . . Duncan’s inclusion is correct though.’ so it would seem: http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/duncan-hames/31676 I’ll add him to my list: http://www.twickenham.libdems.org.uk/pages/aGovernment.html
Ministers of State get PPS. It is SPADES that only Cabinet Ministers get.
Why on earth would any active campaigning MP want to take on one of these dud dead-end jobs?
Tony Greaves
An Asian blogger writes: ‘ . . Two Liberal Democrat parliamentary private secretaries, Jenny Willott and Mike Crockart, . . ‘ [and a Tory resigned re student fees]
http://singaporeuncletrader.wordpress.com/
The Cabinet Office list of 17/11/10
http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/latest-news/2010/11/government-publishes-list-of-parliamentary-private-secretaries-57099
has not been updated to record these resignations; I have emailed them today asking for an up to date list. As far as I know Willott and Crockart have not yet been replaced.