AGM elects Rt Hon John Whittingdale MP as new BGIPU Chair
The Annual General Meeting of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union was convened on Tuesday 27 November 2018 in the IPU Room at the Palace of Westminster to adopt the 2018 Annual Report and elect the Executive Committee for 2018/19.
The AGM was presided over by the Speaker of the House of Commons, The Rt Hon John Bercow MP in his capacity as Honorary President of the Group. The Minister of State for Africa in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office/Department for International Development, Harriett Baldwin MP, proposed adoption of the 2018 Annual Report which was seconded by the Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament, Fabian Hamilton MP prior to adoption by the AGM. Following a financial report from the Honorary Treasurer, Nic Dakin MP, and agreement to re-appoint Kreston Reeves LLP as the BGIPU’s external auditors, a new Executive Committee for 2018/19 including Rt Hon John Whittingdale MP as Chair was elected.
The outgoing Chair, Nigel Evans MP, thanked colleages and Secretariat staff for supporting his three-year term as Chair and recognised the important role played by the FCO in supporting the BGIPU’s work. His specifically praised the contribution of departing IPM, Anja Richter, over her four years in the Secretariat and recalled the outstanding landmark of 20 years service reached by Deputy Director, Dominique Rees MBE earlier in the year. Details of the new BGIPU Executive Committee for 2018/19 and the Annual Report for 2018 can be found on our Governance page.
Rt Hon John Whittingdale MP was elected Chair of the BGIPU at the AGM replacing Nigel Evans MP who completed over three years as Chair.
The Minister of State for Africa (FCO/DFID) Harriett Baldwin MP proposed the adoption of the 2018 Annual Report.
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt HOn John Bercow MP, presided over the AGM as one of BGIPU two Honorary Presidents (the other being the Lord Speaker).
