By Andrew Allison

The Freedom Association Online – 19 June 2015

The Freedom Association is pleased to announce that the Rt Hon Frank Field MP and the Rt Hon Dr Julian Lewis MP are this week's 'Parliamentarians of the Week'.

After weeks of campaigning, the results were announced. No, I’m not talking about the recent General Election. Yesterday, John Bercow announced the results of the elections for the various Select Committee chairs. We offer our congratulations to all those who were successful, however, we were particularly pleased with two results.

Frank Field, Labour MP for Birkenhead, was elected to chair the Work & Pensions Committee. Mr Field is a former Minister of Welfare Reform, and after the 2010 General Election he was appointed the Government’s "Poverty Tsar".

Dr Julian Lewis, Conservative MP for New Forest East, was elected to chair the Defence Committee. A staunch defender of our Armed Forces, Dr Lewis is a vocal critic of the Government’s policy to reduce defence spending.

Both are this week’s 'Parliamentarians of the Week' not because of what they have said, and not just because they have won elections to their respective roles because they are trusted and respected by their colleagues – irrespective of party affiliation. Both know their brief inside out, and will help shape Government policy through their expertise and extensive knowledge. They richly deserve their success.

We wish them both well, and I offer them my congratulations as this week's recipients of our 'Parliamentarian of the Week' award.