The appointment of a former Foreign Office chief as head of a parliamentary watchdog on Europe has been criticised at Westminster because of his opposition to Brexit.
Making Lord Ricketts chairman of the Lords’ European Affairs Committee was questioned in Parliament by Tory former minister Lord Hamilton of Epsom, who was a vocal Leave campaigner.
But fellow Conservative peer Lord Cormack spoke out in support of the appointment of Lord Rickets, highlighting the breadth of knowledge and experience provided by the independent crossbencher.
As well as previously heading the diplomatic service, Lord Ricketts served as ambassador to France and was the UK’s first national security adviser.
The exchanges came as it was proposed that Lord Ricketts take over as chairman of the select committee from the Earl of Kinnoull.
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Lord Hamilton said: “I think that we now accept that we have left the EU, and there is no political party suggesting that we should rejoin it.
“Therefore, can it be right that Lord Ricketts has been made chairman of the European Affairs Committee, when he is adamant that it was a great mistake that we ever left and that the people of this country were wrong to have voted that way in the referendum?”
Lord Cormack said: “I strongly disagree. We are out, and many of us regret the fact that we are out.
“However, what we need for our committees are people with knowledge and distinction, and no-one has wider knowledge and distinction in the field of foreign affairs than Lord Ricketts.
“What is more, he sits on the crossbenches, so it seems to me that, having had an extremely fine chairman, Lord Kinnoull, it is a very good idea to follow him with another crossbencher, who will bring dispassionate advice and deep knowledge.”
The appointment was agreed without a vote.
