BREAKING NEWS: Croydon MP wins powerful parliamentary position (From Croydon Guardian)

BREAKING NEWS: Croydon MP wins powerful parliamentary position

2:00pm Thursday 27th May 2010

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Newly elected Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell has been voted in to one of the Conservative party’s most powerful backbench positions.

The 38-year-old was among five new MPs to oust more experienced Tories from the executive of the 1922 Committee, the influential group which represents rank and file Conservative MPs' views to David Cameron and his cabinet.

Mr Barwell played the appointment down as “not a massive thing”, but admitted his ascension to the executive was a “nice way to start off” his Parliamentary career.

He said: “It’s nice to be chosen by your peers.

“I think because there's been such a lot of new members this time people felt that there should be some of us in the executive.

“Our main job is to gauge opinion among the backbench parliamentary party and make sure backbenchers are a strong voice in this new Parliament.

“I'm a strong supporter of what David Cameron has done, I think the coalition was the right thing to do for the country.”

Croydon South MP Richard Ottaway failed last night in his bid to become chairman of the 1922, losing out to right-wing rebel Graham Brady despite being seen as the Prime Minister’s favoured choice for the role.

David Cameron made waves within the party last week after calling a snap-vote on allowing ‘payroll’ Tories - the ministers and whips - full membership of the 1922.

Although the motion passed Mr Cameron suffered an 118-strong rebellion, and quickly moved to placate members by ruling ‘payrollers’ would be unable to vote on its chairmanship or stand for its offices.