It was an honour to lead last week’s excellent debate on the future of BBC local radio. There is, quite simply, strong belief across the House that the BBC is taking the ‘local’ out of local radio. Local radio is very close
Sir Mike Penning
Sir Mike Penning was elected MP for Hemel Hempstead in 2005. He joined the army as a boy soldier and served in the Grenadier Guards including tours in Northern Ireland, Kenya and Germany. After leaving the army, he worked as a firefighter and a political journalist. He has served as a Minister in seven departments including as Minister of State for Northern Ireland, and Minister of State for the Armed Forces. He was knighted for political service in 2017.