It’s back to school for Labour MPs. Term has started and now it’s time to choose options.
Last night, PLP secretary Martin O’Donovan sent out the rules for the next stage of choosing Labour’s select committee members. Those who put their names down for committees which proved unpopular have been elected unopposed.
But there won’t be enough chairs in the classroom for maths: it’s almost two to a seat at the treasury. (It does look good on your CV though).
Boys dominate PE and art in the DCMS nominations, with no female candidates. But most pupils went for more holidays: international development, defence and foreign affairs – the top trip committees – were as over-subscribed as the most prestigious and serious one: treasury.
Predictably less popular are science and technology, public administration and environmental audit. Empty desks and unfilled places abound. Graham Stringer, Paul Flynn and Martin Caton were the only ones to put their names forward in each case.
Each candidate’s 200 word ‘pick me’ has now been sent to the PLP. Interminable self-promoting emails have been dispatched. Surprising numbers of them have been read and considered by their peers. And they have till 5pm this evening to vote.
The full document sent out to MPs last night is here.