Yorkshire MP Caroline Flint joins race for Keith Vaz's old job
Committee member Chuka Umunna will stand for the post and former Cabinet minister Yvette Cooper, MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, is also considering a run at the job, which is decided by a vote of MPs.
Ms Flint, who has held the South Yorkshire constituency since 1997, is the first to publicly declare that she is running, stating that the committee requires an “experienced, independent-minded chair”.
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Hide AdThe committee, which holds the Home Office to account, had been chaired by Mr Vaz since 2007 until his decision to resign on Tuesday.
Ms Flint, whose ministerial career included a stint at the Home Office, said: “The resignation of Keith Vaz is a tragedy for Keith and his family, but his work as chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee has been widely praised.
“This committee now requires an experienced, independent-minded chair to take its work forward.”
Mr Umunna believes he has the support of many of the existing committee members and will offer continuity to carry on the cross-party group’s work.
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Hide AdA friend of the Streatham MP said: “Having consulted colleagues and been approached by colleagues from both sides of the House he has decided he is going to put his name forward.”
Mr Umunna believes that, as Mr Vaz was the only MP from an ethnic minority to chair a select committee, it is “important for the BME community” to continue to have representation at a senior level on the cross-party groups.
Ms Cooper would bring her experience as a former shadow home secretary to the role.
The former Labour leadership contender is considering it and “colleagues have suggested she should stand”, a Westminster source said.
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Hide AdThe post, which comes with a £15,025 pay boost on top of the MPs’ salary of £74,926, is open to Labour MPs under the arrangements which divide the chairmanships between the political parties.
Labour committee member David Winnick told the Press Association: “I would be surprised if whoever is elected as chairman will be following the style of Keith Vaz, any more than Keith Vaz followed the style of his predecessors John Denham and Chris Mullin.”
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s office confirmed it had received a complaint about Mr Vaz.
“We have formally received an official complaint and it is under consideration,” a source said.