SELBY district voters now have a member of the Privy Council representing them in Parliament.

Nigel Adams, who holds the Selby and Ainsty constituency, was sworn in at a virtual meeting of the council attended by The Queen.

He will hold the appointment for the rest of his life and joins hundreds of other members, mostly active or retired politicians. The Archbishops of York and Canterbury are automatically members.

Cabinet ministers are generally made members if they are not already members when appointed.

In the recent Government reshuffle, Mr Adams was promoted from a junior minister position in the Foreign Office to sit in the Cabinet as a minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office.

Most of the Privy Council's business is advising the Queen on 1000 institutions, charities and companies which are incorporated by Royal Charter.

When the Sovereign dies, it forms the Accession Council and declares the new Sovereign.