The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has confirmed that gambling minister and former shadow charities minister Vicky Foxcroft will be responsible for civil society policy, two months after she joined the department.

Andy Burnham’s reshuffle of government took place in July but until this week the sector has been left in limbo over which DCMS minister would take the charities brief.

The post had been held by Stephanie Peacock, who was reappointed to the department but instead as Minister for Sport, Tourism, Place and Digital Government.

Foxcroft had already been confirmed as gambling minister last month, after she was appointed to the DCMS on 22 July and it has now been confirmed that civil society has been added to her brief, alongside policy around digital inclusion, youth issues and loneliness.

Former trade union official Foxcroft has been a Labour MP since 2015, initially for Lambeth Deptford, which now forms part of new constituency Lewisham North, which she was elected to represent two years ago.

Prior to her DCMS appointment this year she had served as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in former PM Keir Starmer’s administration but quit last year in opposition to planned cuts to disability benefits.

Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership she served in the Whips Office and as Shadow Minister for Civil Society before being moved to the Shadow Work and Pensions team when Starmer became leader in 2020, where she was Shadow Minister for Disabled People.

Five years ago, she made history at Prime Minister’s Questions by becoming the first MP to ask a question in sign language, to draw attention to a lack of sign interpreting at the government’s Covid press conferences at the time.

---