East Ham MP Stephen Timms, who has been appointed a government trade envoy to Switzerland, aims to use his new role to protect and create more jobs for East Londoners in financial services.

Timms, along with former cricketer Lord Ian Botham and several other MPs, has been made a trade ambassador to boost British business interests around the world.

“I’m glad to take on this role,” he told Newham Voices. “Financial services are such an important part of our economy and I’m very keen to work to raise employment in this sector.”

His focus on Switzerland, a leading player in world financial affairs, gives him an opportunity to draw upon his experience as a finance minister in the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, when he had several senior appointments including Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Although the post is a government appointment there was no objection to it from Labour leaders and it will not mean any significant cutback in his work as a local MP.

“I think the job will involve only a couple of visits to Switzerland a year and it’s not going to be a big part of my ongoing work. I’m not the first Labour MP to take on a role like this, and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

“We all want UK trade to increase and we have a lot of people working in financial services which is a major part of our trade with Switzerland.”

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