After turning down Liz Truss’s offer to join the Cabinet as Leader of the House of Commons, Iain Duncan Smith has announced a new career ambition. Following the appointment of Tom Tugendhat to the Cabinet as Security Minister, IDS is planning to run for the now-vacant chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. Speaking on LBC this morning the former Tory leader confirmed overnight reports by Steerpike and Politico that he’ll be going for the job:

“I am actually seriously thinking about standing for that, so there you have a first.”

IDS also claims he turned down the offer of Leader of the House because he felt it was not something to which he “could add any particular value”, leaving the job open for Penny Mordaunt instead.

Politico reports that Liam Fox will also be running, with the backing of DEFRA Committee Chair Robert Goodwill and former Trade Minister Mark Garnier. The additional chairman’s salary of £16,422 is not to be sniffed at during these trying economic times…