Nigel Evans out of running for Beer Group chair

Tory MP Nigel Evans, who was favoured as new head of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, has withdrawn his nomination to lead the group.

Evans, the group's longest-serving vice-chairman, was elected deputy speaker of the House of Commons yesterday, and withdrew his nomination because he could not carry out both roles.

Robert Humphreys, secretary of the Beer Group, said that in the absence of any obvious candidates, founder and first chairman of the group Alan Meale, MP for Mansfield, has allowed his name to be put forward. Meale has said he will act as chairman on an interim basis for one year, or less if a suitable candidate emerges.

The group has scheduled its first meeting in the new Parliament for 29 June.

Meanwhile several other candidates have been nominated as vice-chair. They are Andrew Griffiths, Conservative MP for the brewing heartland of Burton, Staffordshire, and Dan Rogerson, Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall. Rogerson was vice-chair of the group during the last parliament.