Newbury’s Member of Parliament is putting himself forward to be elected as Chair of one of the most influential Select Committees in the House of Commons. Select Committees have become much more powerful in recent years and the position of Chair is highly sought after. Richard will face an election, which includes at least two other high calibre candidates, Dr Julian Lewis and Colonel Bob Stewart DSO. Richard has set out his stall in a letter to MPs of all Parties, in which he outlined the need for structured and effective Armed Forces to combat the ever-changing threats facing our country. Richard said: “I have set out clearly why I want this post. I believe Britain faces a more dangerous world than at any time since the Cold War. I want to make sure we can defend this country and its interests around the world and we can only do that if we have a clear understanding of what threats we face. We need to show how, with our allies, we can deter and, if necessary, defeat our enemies and make the world more stable and prosperous as a result.” Richard’s interest in defence stems from his service with the Royal Green Jackets in the 1980s. He serve in Northern Ireland for two years and studied counter-insurgent warfare in the Far East. He was a Founder-Trustee of the military charity Help for Heroes, which has raised over £230 million since 2007. He has campaigned for veterans and the welfare of servicemen and their families. Richard also sits on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.