Harriet Harman new head of MPs’ sleaze watchdog after Chris Bryant promoted to shadow cabinet

Labour MP Harriet Harman has been elected as the new chair of the Parliamentary standards watchdog after the position was left vacant in a Labour reshuffle.

She will take over from Sir Chris Bryant, who stepped down last month after being appointed as shadow minister for creative industries and digital by Sir Keir Starmer.

Ms Harman, known as the “mother of the house” on account of being the longest-serving female MP, beat fellow Labour MP Stella Creasy to the position after winning 341 votes out of 471.

The MP for Camberwell and Peckham was widely praised for her handling of the Privileges Committee’s inquiry earlier this summer into whether former prime minister Boris Johnson misled Parliament over Partygate.

This story is being updated