A means to an end and an end in itself: Select Committee membership, parliamentary roles and parliamentary careers, 1979–present

Committees are important vehicles for parliamentary careers both as a means to a (ministerial) end and as an end in themselves. This article explores the relationship between select committee membership and parliamentary career by analysing committee membership and frontbench appointments for the 2130 MPs first elected since 1979. We focus on two of Searing’s backbench roles – Policy Advocates and Parliament People – and three of his leadership roles – Whips, Junior Ministers and Ministers. We find different and changing patterns in how MPs undertake these backbench roles both over time and among different groupings of MPs. We also find membership of some committees more often leads to (higher) leadership roles than others.