Starmer Picks His Team

Starmer Picks His Team

A week on from Labour’s decisive General Election victory, the Sir Kier Starmer’s full ministerial lineup is taking shape.

Ahead of our webinar on Sport’s Political Influence, where we’ll pick the bones out of the election and analyse the new government’s priorities for sport and the environment, we take a look at ministers who will be responsible for the decisions which will affect our sector.

Prime Minister – Sir Kier Starmer

The football-mad PM, who has a season ticket at Arsenal and still regularly plays 5-a-side, has ultimate responsibility for driving the Government’s agenda, including his stated ambition to deliver a clean power system by 2030, driven by a publicly owned renewable energy company (Great British Energy).

His election victory has been described as a ‘mandate for an ambitious climate agenda’ by environmental analysts E3G, and our friends at SportsPro Media have assessed what Labour’s victory means for sport.

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport – Lisa Nandy

On the whole, the new cabinet reflects the front bench Labour had in opposition, but Thangam Debbonaire’s defeat in Bristol led to Nandy’s appointment at DCMS. The Wigan MP, who ran for Labour leader in the contest Starmer won, served in a range of Shadow Cabinet roles while Labour was in opposition. She was at Wembley in 2013 when Wigan Athletic triumphed in The FA Cup Final against Manchester City, and has spoken to the Manchester Evening News about her vision for sport in the UK.

Minister for Sport – Stephanie Peacock

Having fulfilled the role of Shadow Sports Minister in opposition, the Barnsley MP comes into government with an existing knowledge of the brief. The first items in her in-tray are likely to be legislation to introduce an Independent Football Regulator, alongside new regulations relating to the gambling industry.

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero – Ed Miliband

The Doncaster MP, who introduced the 2008 Climate Change Act under the last Labour government as Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change and went on to serve as Labour leader from 2010-2015, brings substantial experience to his mission to tackle the climate crisis. He has outlined his priorities in government in a letter to officials in his department.

Secretary of State for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs – Steve Reed MP

The Streatham and Croydon North MP, who was leader of Lambeth Council before entering parliament, reprises the role he fulfilled in opposition. He will be responsible for all aspects of policy relating to the natural environment, and has already taken steps to begin to ‘solve the crisis in the water sector’, which is a critical priority for a number of BASIS members.

The New Parliament

We’ll be profiling the new parliament in detail in September’s webinar, but there is an established political logic that the balance of power tips heavily in favour of the executive over the legislature when government’s have a largely parliamentary majority.  

While it is true that there is less pressure on a government’s agenda when they have the numbers in parliament to win votes comfortably, the data behind Labour’s victory tells a different story. 

With only 35% of the national vote, the margin of Labour’s win has been delivered by our first-past-the-post electoral system rather than a decisive popular vote. A number of newly elected Labour MPs won seats which have been held by Conservatives for generations and, with a volatile electorate, the government will need to do two things to retain its strong position throughout this parliament and into the next election.  

First, it needs to deliver its promises, and with a range of pressing national challenges this will not be easy. 

Second, it needs to show that MPs in marginal seats – or seats that have not traditionally been Labour leaning – are able to exercise positive influence over the government in order to give them the best possible chance to retain their seats so the government can remain in power beyond the next election.  

MPs will need to show they are listening to their constituents, and the priorities of organisations within their constituencies. From local environment campaigns and community sports clubs to the top of the Premier League, that will give people who are engaged in their communities and care about sport, climate change and the natural environment a strong voice and a real stake in our national direction.

Sign up for our webinar on Sport’s Political Influence here.