Labour reshuffle: Thangam Debbonaire appointed as shadow culture secretary
Fiona Simpson
Monday, September 4, 2023
Thangam Debbonaire has been named as the Labour Party’s shadow culture secretary with responsibility for youth work in leader Keir Starmer’s latest reshuffle.
Debbonaire, who has been MP for Bristol West since 2015, replaces Lucy Powell who is now shadow leader of the House of Commons.
Debbonaire was previously shadow leader of the House of Commons while Powell, MP for Manchester Central, had been shadow secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS) since November 2021.
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Powell wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, following the reshuffle: “Pleased to be given this important role ahead of the next election, shaping and driving the next Labour government’s first King’s Speech and programme, and holding the current government to account in parliament. Sorry to leave all the wonderful people I’ve worked with in DCMS brief.
“I’m really proud of what our DCMS team has achieved over the last nearly two years: stopping Channel 4 sell-off, getting online safety bill, getting a football regulator, supporting arts, committing Labour government to a new creative curriculum, shaping agenda around tech & AI, defending local radio.”
Pleased to be given this important role ahead of the next election, shaping & driving the next Labour Government’s first King’s Speech & programme, and holding the current government to account in parliament.
— Lucy Powell MP (@LucyMPowell) September 4, 2023
Sorry to leave all the wonderful people I’ve worked with in DCMS brief https://t.co/8WwbFJusaa
Elsewhere in the Labour Party, Bridget Phillipson remains as shadow education secretary and Helen Hayes remains as shadow minister for early years and children.
Starmer’s decision to reshuffle his party comes days after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appointed David Johnston as the government's tenth children, families, and wellbeing minister in just over a decade.
Johnston replaced Claire Coutinho who was promoted to Energy Secretary.
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has apologised after being filmed by ITV cameras, following an interview about school closures due to dangerous concrete used in schools, saying: “Does anyone ever say, you know what, you've done a f***ing good job because everyone else has sat on their a**** and done nothing.”
I’m sorry for my off the cuff remark and choice language earlier.
— Gillian Keegan MP (@GillianKeegan) September 4, 2023
I know parents are concerned. I’ve been working non-stop to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.
1/2 https://t.co/rjCNVihabC
Speaking to the BBC, Keegan apologised for her “choice language”, adding it was an “off the cuff remark” after being “pressed quite hard in interview”.
