ONE of Wokingham borough’s four MPs has had a promotion.
Matt Rodda, who serves the Reading East constituency which includes parts of Woodley and Earley, has been announced as the new shadow minister for pensions.
It’s not the first time that one of the borough’s MPs has been in a similar role. Maidenhead MP Theresa May was appointed to the role of shadow secretary for work and pensions in 2009, when the Conservatives were in opposition.
Mr Rodda has been an MP since he beat Rob Wilson to the Reading East seat in 2017, and has served as shadow minister for buses. This drew on his experience as a councillor for Reading Borough Council and its arms-length company, Reading Buses.
He takes on his new role after Helen Hayes resigned from her role so she could abstain on the Brexit Bill vote on December 30. His predecessor, Jack Dromey, has been moved to the Shadow Cabinet Office in her place.
Mr Rodda said in a tweet: “It is a privilege to have been given the role of Shadow Pensions Minister. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in this important area of policy.”