Two British Members of Parliament (MPs) with Nigerian heritage, have been appointed as Vice Chairmen of the ruling Conservative Party.
Kemi Badenoch MP
Kemi Badenoch MP
Kemi Badenoch, the MP for Saffron Walden has been appointed as Vice Chairman - Candidates; while former Minister, Helen Grant, the MP for Maidstone and The Weald has been appointed as the Vice Chairman - Communities.
Helen Grant MP
The appointments are part of the announcement made by British Prime Minister - Theresa May today, appointing Brandon Lewis, the Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth, as the new Chairman of the Conservative Party.
The new Party Chairman will be joined by James Cleverly, the Member of Parliament for Braintree, as Deputy Chairman.
Brandon has been an MP for 8 years. In that time, he has served as Minister for Local Government, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Minister of State for Policing and Fire Services, and Minister of State for Immigration. Before that he was also a long-serving councillor and then Council Leader in Brentwood.
James Cleverly has been an MP since 2015. In that time has served as the PPS to the Minister of State for Immigration. This follows a period as the member of the London Assembly for Bexley and Bromley and then the Leader of the Conservatives in the London Assembly. This followed a career in publishing and over 25 years in the Reserve Forces.
The new Party Chairman and Deputy Chairman will be joined by a team of Vice Chairmen which also includes: Ben Bradley, MP for Mansfield (Vice Chairman, Youth); Maria Caulfield, MP for Lewes (Vice Chairman, Women); Rehman Chishti, MP for Gillingham and Rainham (Vice Chairman, Communities); Andrew Jones MP, for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Vice Chairman, Business Engagement); Marcus Jones, MP for Nuneaton (Vice Chairman, Local Government); James Morris, MP for Halesowen and Rowley Regis (Vice Chairman, Training and Development); and Chris Skidmore, MP for Kingswood (Vice Chairman, Policy)
The following Vice Chairmen will continue in their post: David Brownlow (Vice Chairman, Campaigning); Dominic Johnson (Vice Chairman, Finance); Paul Scully, MP for Sutton and Cheam (Vice Chairman, London); and Alec Shelbrooke, MP for Elmet and Rothwell (Vice Chairman, International)
Sir Mick Davis, Chief Executive of the Conservative Party, said: “I am delighted to welcome Brandon and James who bring a wealth of experience from their longstanding work with the Party and I very much look forward to working with them, as does my team at CCHQ.
“I am also very pleased that we have been able add to the experience and diversity of our Vice Chairmen with the new outstanding appointments made today.
“I would like to pay tribute to Sir Patrick McLoughlin who was an outstanding Chairman and has served the Conservative Party with significant distinction over so many years.”