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Chair's Corner

Chair's Closing Remarks

Keith Best's tenure as Chair, Executive Committee ended on 31 October 2021. John Vlasto was elected in our Member Congress as the new Chair serving a two-year term commencing 1 November 2021. We thank you Keith for his stewardship of the organization.

John Vlasto served in the military before working in financial risk management. In his free time he climbs rocks and mountains. Being alert to risk is a common thread. He became concerned that global governance of the environment is dangerously ineffective, studied global politics at the London School of Economics, and joined the World Federalist Movement in 2018.

Mr. Best is a former Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Anglesey from 1979 when he gained the seat from Labour until 1983, and for the renamed Ynys Môn from 1983 to 1987. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Wales from 1981 to 1984. He has since led the organisations Prisoners Abroad (1989–1993), the Immigration Advisory Service (1993–2009), Freedom from Torture (2010–2014) and Survivors UK (2015-2018).

Mr. Best was educated at Brighton College and Keble College, Oxford, before becoming a barrister in 1973. He served in the Territorial Army Royal Horse Artillery 289 Para Bty and Royal Artillery in airborne and commando forces and as a Naval Gunfire Support Liaison Officer 1967–89, reaching the rank of Major, awarded the Territorial Decoration (TD) and as a Brighton Borough councilor 1976–80.