New scrutineers

BBC strategists will be interested to see who they have to engage with in Commons committees over the life of this Parliament. John Flasby Lawrance Whittingdale is currently unopposed to returned as chair of the Culture Media and Sport Committee. The Public Accounts Committee, minder of the NAO, is always run by the Opposition, so Caroline Thomson and Zarin Patel can move on from tetchy sessions with Edward Leigh. But the candidates seeking to replace him are an odd bunch. Hugh Bayley, Brian Donohoe, Margaret Hodge, Michael Meacher, Austin Mitchell and Iain Wright - and the choice is made by a secret ballot of MPs.