Key R&D MPs mark end of parliamentary activities by announcing their bid for re-election
The UK parliament has been dissolved ahead of the July general election, while key R&D MPs have confirmed their re-election bids.
The dissolution on 30 May marks the end of all parliamentary activities in the House of Commons and House of Lords. It means there are currently no MPs and all seats in the Commons will remain vacant until after the 4 July election.
The two key parliamentary committees for R&D—the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology committee and the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee—both announced their activities were ending following the dissolution.
Meanwhile, key MPs in R&D confirmed they would be standing for re-election.
Standing again
Labour’s shadow science secretary Peter Kyle said: “Today parliament is dissolved which means there’s no MPs until the general election on July 4th. I’m standing as candidate for Hove and Portslade.”
The shadow science minister Chi Onwurah similarly confirmed she would be standing for re-election, saying: “As of today, parliament has dissolved and I am no longer the MP for Newcastle Central. I am proud to be Labour’s candidate for Newcastle Central and West.”
Their announcements came on the same day that science secretary Michelle Donelan confirmed she is standing for re-election, following science minister Andrew Griffith’s announcement last week that he is hoping to be an MP again.
With Labour consistently ahead in the polls, it is likely that Kyle and Onwurah will replace Donelan and Griffith as science secretary and science minister respectively after the election.