Former charity worker and shadow charities minister Lisa Nandy has been appointed as secretary of state at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), a role that includes overseeing civil society.

Nandy was shadow minister for charities and civil society for three years until 2015 and is also a former researcher at homelessness charity Centrepoint and policy advisor at The Children’s Society.

In 2020 she stood unsuccessfully to be Labour leader and under Starmer’s leadership she has been shadow secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs, and then levelling up, housing and communities.

Lisa Nandy MP @lisanandy has been appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport @DCMS. pic.twitter.com/aQdf8CuNQF

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) July 5, 2024

“From rugby league to Royal Opera, our cultural and sporting heritage runs through our towns, villages and cities and is one of our country’s greatest assets,” said Nandy, who has represented Wigan as an MP since 2010.

“It is an unbelievable privilege to take on the role of Secretary of State of the DCMS”.

While cabinet posts and other senior ministerial posts have been announced as part of the new Labour government, the charity sector is still awaiting announcements regarding junior roles including minister for civil society, which was last held by Stuart Andrew in the Conservative government.

Earlier this week it was announced that Chris Bryant had been made a minister of state at the DCMS as well as the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

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