Keir Starmer names new govt's first transport and culture secretaries
James ChappleKeir Starmer has appointed the country’s new transport and culture secretaries, who will head up government departments with substantial stakes in the future of travel and tourism.
Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh has been named transport secretary and becomes one of the first appointments to the new prime minister’s first cabinet, along with Wigan MP Lisa Nandy, who has been appointed secretary of state for culture, media and sport.
Haigh’s department will have significant oversight for Atol reform, while the tourism brief will sit with Nandy’s department – the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. No one has yet been appointed as the UK’s new tourism minister, a portfolio previous held by Conservative MP Julia Lopez.
Haigh has promised to put transport "at the heart" of a new "mission-driven" Labour government. "A whirlwind first 48 hours as transport secretary," she posted to Twitter/X at the weekend. "We will transform infrastructure and deliver the most radical overhaul of public transport in a generation."
Labour secured a landslide election on Thursday (4 July) and Starmer has wasted no time naming his top team, with many roles carrying over from their shadow cabinet positions – including Haigh, who was shadow transport secretary. Nandy has been shadow cabinet minister for international development.
Others joining Haigh and Nandy on Labour’s front benches include Angela Rayner (deputy prime minister), Rachel Reeves (chancellor), David Lammy (foreign secretary), Yvette Cooper (home secretary), Ed Miliband (energy secretary), Wes Streeting (health secretary) and Liz Kendall (work and pensions secretary).
Jonathan Reynolds, meanwhile, has been appointed business and trade secretary, with his department set to assume the remit for package travel reform.
Haigh takes over as transport secretary from Mark Harper, who lost his seat as MP for the Forest of Dean, as did Covid era transport secretary Grant Shapps, who was ousted from his Welwyn Hatfield seat.
She is the MP for the Sheffield Heeley constituency, a seat she has held since 2015. Airlines UK has welcomed Haigh’s appointment.
"UK airlines look forward to working in partnership with the new government to ensure we can continue to foster growth in all parts of the UK economy, support hundreds of thousands of jobs including in the green industries of the future, while reducing our environmental impact and hitting net zero," said the trade body for UK registered airlines.
’Huge potential for growth’
The Tourism Alliance, meanwhile, sent its congratulations to Nandy. "This is an important appointment for us in the tourism industry, but it’s also an extremely important job in terms of fulfilling the government’s missions – especially on economic growth.
"Tourism is 9% of GDP, provides huge social value, is a key component of our international soft power, is a levelling-up catalyst and has huge potential for growth.
"We are so excited to get working with the new secretary of state, the rest of her ministerial team who will be appointed in the coming days, and her departmental officials on the new government’s plan for tourism. That should include a new, comprehensive, cross-government sustainable tourism growth plan.
TTG's general election recap
Labour stormed to victory in Thursday's general election (4 July) securing a huge Commons majority of 174 seats and condemning the Conservative Party to its worst general election defeat in its parliamentary history. Here are some of the key updates in the wake of polling day.
- TTG poll reveals travel trade's priorities for new Labour government
- 'Time is of the essence', Abta tells Labour after general election win
- What does travel want – and need – from the next government?
- Former transport secretaries Mark Harper and Grant Shapps lose seats
- Keir Starmer names first transport and culture secretaries of new govt
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