Hodge to chair Public Accounts Committee

Former Labour culture minister Margaret Hodge has been elected to chair the
watchdog Commons Public Accounts Committee, one of the most influential of
Parliament’s committees.

But voting was so close it went to the fifth round in an Alternative Vote
election in which accountant Iain Wright was eliminated in the third round.

Ms Hodge, a daughter of the Oppenheimer family and former consultant with
Price Waterhouse, will take up the post when other members of the committee are
selected shortly.

She takes over from former Tory chairman Edward Leigh.

Others defeated in the first even election to the post include popular
backbencher Hugh Bailey, veteran Austin Mitchell, with strong views on
separating accountant consultancy work and auditing, left-winger and former
environment minister Michael Meacher and backbencher Brian Donohoe.

Under the rules the post was allocated to a Labour MP.

In another contest, Andrew Tyrie, a former special adviser at the Treasury
and an economist, defeated Michael Fallon, former chairman of a sub-committee,
to become chairman of the Commons Treasury Committee. It was allocated to the
Tories.

Former defence secretary Bob Ainsworth’s Commons aide, Adrian Bailey, was
elected to chair the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee. It was allocated
to Labour.

Further reading:

Accountant
Greening shines in Treasury questions