New committee, same Vaz

Lobbydog watched the new Home Affairs Committee perform earlier today as it tried to scrutinise Immigration Minister Damian Green.

I had a wheezy feeling when the new Brentford MP, Mary MacLoud, spoke – I couldn’t work out why at first, but then it dawned that her manner reminded me of Patricia Hewitt, but with a Scottish accent.

Then there is Oxford West MP Nicola Blackwood who looked about 15 years old but spoke like an old hand, very sharp actually, no wonder she slew Evan Harris.

Chair Keith Vaz meanwhile was his same old self. He has a very condescending way of putting himself above witnesses who attend the committee to give evidence.

He first asks them a question with furrowed brow as if it is the most important thing ever and then halfway through their answer acts as if he has totally lost interest before interrupting them before they finish.

Still, committee member David Winnick MP managed to direct his fire in the right direction when he commented that Vaz would be “pulling his hair out” if he did not manage to make his question pithy.

The phrase raised a laugh from the crowd because Vaz, of course, has no hair.