Emily Thornberry will chair the foreign affairs select committee, after the Speaker of the House declared the results of committee chair elections in which only one of Labour’s 2024 intake succeeded.
Thornberry, the member of parliament for Islington South and Finsbury, was surprisingly left out of Keir Starmer’s cabinet despite years serving in his shadow cabinet. The 64-year-old will head the highly influential foreign affairs select committee instead, while Labour MPs will also fill almost every other committee chair position.
Karen Bradley will be the only sitting Conservative MP to lead one of parliament’s main committees, getting the nod for the home affairs select committee. Other Tories will chair non-departmental committees, such as public accounts.
Other key selections include Liam Byrne (business), Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (defence), Helen Hayes (education), Florence Eshalomi (housing) and Andy Slaughter (justice). Patricia Ferguson, who was elected on Thursday as chair of the Scottish affairs select committee, was the sole MP from Labour’s 2024 intake to succeed.
At least half a dozen new MPs were on the shortlist for influential roles on committees including justice, education and housing, while others tried to run but fell short on numbers or changed their minds.
It raised eyebrows among some more experienced MPs, and there were suggestions that the new arrivals had not only broken Westminster convention, but overstepped the mark with colleagues.
“They need to do their time first,” one MP said. “How can you chair a select committee if you haven’t even been on one?” another added. “It’s so arrogant to think they already have the relevant experience.”
However, the Penistone and Stocksbridge MP, Marie Tidball, said the historically large 2024 cohort of MPs would offer “fresh eyes and fresh experience” to parliament and government, as she put herself forward to be head of the education select committee.
Full list of successful candidates
Foreign affairs Emily Thornberry, Labour
Home affairs Karen Bradley, Conservative
Business and trade Liam Byrne, Labour
Defence Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Labour
Education Helen Hayes, Labour
Energy security and net zero Bill Esterson, Labour
Housing, communities and local government Florence Eshalomi, Labour
International development Sarah Champion, Labour
Justice Andy Slaughter, Labour
Science, innovation and technology Chi Onwurah, Labour
Scottish affairs Patricia Ferguson, Labour
Transport Ruth Cadbury, Labour
Women and equalities Sarah Owen, Labour
Work and pensions Debbie Abrahams, Labour
Environmental audit Toby Perkins, Labour
Procedure Cat Smith, Labour
Public accounts Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Conservative
Public administration and constitutional affairs Simon Hoare, Conservative
Standards Alberto Costa, Conservative
Where single nominations were received for the role, the Speaker declared the election, unopposed, of:
Culture, media and sport Caroline Dinenage, Conservative
Environment, food and rural affairs Alistair Carmichael, Liberal Democrat
Health and social care Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat
Northern Ireland affairs Tonia Antoniazzi, Labour
Treasury Meg Hillier, Labour
Welsh affairs Ruth Jones, Labour
Petitions Jamie Stone, Liberal Democrat
• This article was updated on 12 September 2024 to note that Patricia Ferguson was elected to chair the Scottish Affairs select committee, and to include the seven select committee chairs who stood unopposed and were elected by the Speaker on 9 September 2024.
