Dame Diana Johnson elected Chair of the Home Affairs Committee

The Speaker has announced that Dame Diana Johnson has been elected Chair of the Home Affairs Committee.

Three candidates were nominated for the role of Chair, triggering an election between: Dr Rupa Huq, Member of Parliament for Ealing Central and Acton; Dame Diana Johnson, Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Hull North; Yasmin Qureshi, Member of Parliament for Bolton South East.

Dame Diana Johnson will take up her position with immediate effect and serve to the end of the current Parliament.

“Having also served on the Health and Social Care Select Committee in the previous Parliament, I know that select committee work can show Parliament at its very best,” she said ahead of her election.

“By scrutinising the work of government, by delving deeper into subjects than is possible in other forums, by creating a body of expertise in a particular subject, and by developing long-lasting solutions to complex or technical problems, select committees provide an invaluable service to the rest of the House and to policy-makers across the political spectrum.”

She went on: “Working cross-party is not just my promise – it is my record. It was because I worked cross-party that I secured the Public Inquiry in 2017 into the NHS Infected Blood scandal and I am currently working with MPs from other parties on campaigns to end commercial sexual exploitation and to champion a Community Wealth Fund for left behind neighbourhoods.”

The new Chair was elected from the Labour Party, as agreed by the party leaders following the results of the last General Election.

MPs voted by ranking candidates in order of preference and votes were counted under the Alternative Vote System.

The election for the Chair of the Home Affairs Committee follows the resignation of Yvette Cooper after she was appointed as Shadow Home Secretary in November.