Tan Dhesi elected chair of Defence Select Committee

TANMANJEET SINGH DHESI, MP for Slough, has been elected as chair of the parliament’s Defence Select Committee.

The vote, held on 11 September, was open to all 650 members of the House of Commons.

Dhesi is the first MP from a Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic (BAME) background to hold this position. Previously, he was only the second BAME member to serve on the committee during his tenure in 2020.

Dhesi, who has represented Slough for over seven years and was re-elected for a third term in July 2024, described the role as an honour.

Following the announcement by speaker Lindsay Hoyle, he said: “I am honoured to have been elected as Chair of the Defence Select Committee. I want to thank all those who have supported me, and the whole House of Commons for putting their trust and confidence in me."

"Threats to national security and global stability are increasing in both scale and complexity, and it is vital that our nation is ready to rise to these challenges. As a voice for our brave veterans and service personnel, I will ensure that the government is held to the highest of standards as it undertakes its primary duty: keeping our country safe,” he said.

The Defence Select Committee oversees and scrutinises government policies on national defence and security.