Our columnist is one of three new appointments.
- Neil O’Brien becomes Vice Chairman for Thinktank Relations/Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party Policy Board.
- Nickie Aiken, is to be Vice Chairman for Women and Affiliate Groups
- And Hannan becomes International Ambassador. We don’t know of any others and so will refer to him as the International Ambassador until or unless we learn otherwise.
–
- O’Brien, who is a former Director of Policy Exchange, will deal with the think tanks, and knows the milieu well.
- To Alan Mak, the co-Chairman, falls the responsibility of relations with the Conservative Policy Forum and, it would seem, his colleagues.
- At one level, Dan’s appointment signifies the obvious: that the Party is looking beyond the EU for new relationships. At another, it recognises his experience in establishing these within Europe itself, as one of the main instigators of the European Conservatives and Reformists, who have non-EU as well as EU members.
–
Here’s the list of Deputy and Vice-Chairmen in full:
- Lee Rowley, MP for North East Derbyshire, Deputy Chairman – assisting the Co-Chairman with Blue Wall Engagement.
- Nickie Aiken, MP for Cities of London and Westminster, Vice Chairman for Women and Affiliate Groups.
- Andrew Bowie, MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Vice Chairman for Youth Engagement and Northern Ireland.
- Sir David Evennett, MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford, Vice Chairman for Business Engagement.
- Caroline Johnson, MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham, Vice Chairman for Disabilities.
- Alan Mak, MP for Havant, Vice Chairman for Backbencher policy and the Conservative Policy Forum/Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party Policy Board.
- Neil O’Brien, MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, Vice Chairman for Thinktank Relations/Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party Policy Board.
- Daniel Hannan, former Member of the European Parliament for South East England, International Ambassador.
- Peter Gibson, MP for Darlington, PPS to the Party Co-Chairman.