All New All Party Group

Jayne Kirkham

It's been a challenging Spring, as the APPG lost a significant number of members in the May General Election leaving only a short time to navigate around the new political landscape and new rules on All Party Groups, before the deadline for registration ran out and the APPG would be struck off!

If I were working in Westminster, or a professional lobbyist this would all be fairly straightforward. But, like my CMF colleagues, I'm a volunteer. Anyway, sleeves were rolled up, and following the required election of officers on the day of the deadline, I am happy to announce that the APPG for Children’s Media and the Arts is raring to go with new officers and renewed passion!

Conor Burns MP will co-chair with Baroness Benjamin, with MPs Tom Watson, Andrew Rosindell and John Nicolson acting as Vice-chairs. They bring a wealth of media and political experience and are already looking to see how this all party group can build on its past successes, raising awareness and changing minds on a whole range of topics such as arts education, internet literacy and safety, public service content and then there were the successful introduction of the tax breaks and the amendment to the Children’s Act regularising working time arrangements for children.

With the BBC’s charter renewal, Ofcom’s latest PSB report, and a new Minister for Internet Safety, there's plenty for the APPG to be getting on with.