UK parliament to sit for first time since general election
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Tuesday, 09/07/2024, 11:38
The UK parliament sits for the first time since last week's general election, with the election of a new Speaker of the House of Commons and the swearing-in of new MPs.
Today will be the first opportunity to see Keir Starmer in parliament as prime minister. Source: rte.ie
MPs are expected to re-elect the incumbent Lindsay Hoyle as speaker.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will also attend, before travelling to Washington for a summit of NATO leaders.
Hundreds of MPs have been arriving at the Palace of Westminster over the past few days, to prepare for the new term. The process, whereby all MPs are sworn in, begins today.
Today will be the first opportunity to see Mr Starmer in parliament as prime minister.
As is tradition, he is likely to speak at the dispatch box to congratulate the speaker upon his election.
Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition Rishi Sunak unveiled his new shadow cabinet yesterday evening.
It followed Thursday's bruising election which saw many of the Conservative front bench lose their seats.
Former foreign secretary David Cameron said yesterday that he would "step back" from the position of shadow foreign secretary.
"It's been a huge honour to serve as foreign secretary, but clearly the Conservative Party in opposition will need to shadow the new foreign secretary from the Commons," Mr Cameron said.
Andrew Mitchell was appointed as foreign secretary while Kemi Badenoch has taken on Michael Gove's former levelling up, housing and communities brief.
Jeremy Hunt will be the shadow chancellor, while James Cleverly will be the shadow home secretary.
Victoria Atkins is the shadow health secretary.
The Conservative Party is expected to select a new chairman for its 1922 Committee of backbenchers later this evening, as the Tory party prepares to elect a new leader.