Failed Conservative leadership candidate Michael Gove is mounting a political comeback after Theresa May's rise to power. Gove, the former justice secretary who played a critical role in the EU referendum, was elected to the Exiting the EU Select Committee on Wednesday night (26 October).

The influential group of MPs will hold Brexit Secretary David Davis and the government to account over their plans to split from the EU. Gove was a prominent campaigner for Vote Leave alongside fellow top Conservative Boris Johnson and Labour MP Gisela Stuart.

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But after the UK voted to split from the economic and political bloc, Gove's political career took a blow.

He dramatically launched his own leadership bid in the wake of David Cameron's resignation, torpedoing Johnson's efforts.

Gove was serving a Johnson's campaign manager until making the Game of Thrones-style manoeuvres.

After a period of radio silence, the Scot has returned to the TV studios and is back writing at The Times.

He is also chairing an advisory board for a two-year Howard League for Penal Reform project centred around children's homes.

"I don't detect any slackening off or lack of enthusiasm for prison reform on the part of the new ministerial team and the new government," he told IBTimes UK. "I know that the government and my successor are working very hard to produce a detailed paper to outline proposals for prison reform.

"I'm encouraged by everything that I've heard and seen from Liz Truss and I'm confident that they will bring forward some quite exciting and very worthwhile proposals."

Gove, meanwhile, will be joined by fellow Tory Brexiteers Maria Caulfield, Andrea Jenkyns, Peter Lilley, Dominic Raab, Craig Mackinlay, Karl McCartney and John Whittingdale on the select committee.

The group will be chaired by former shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, the Remain campaigner sacked by Jeremy Corbyn after the ballot for questioning the Labour leader's performance during the referendum.

Labour MPs Seema Malhotra, Pat McFadden, Emma Reynolds and Stephen Timms will also sit on the committee, while the SNP are yet to elect two MPs for the group.

The Liberal Democrats, SDLP, DUP and Plaid Cymru will get one seat on the committee each.

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