Nicky Morgan becomes new culture secretary following cabinet reshuffle
Former Education Secretary replaces Jeremy Wright to become eighth culture secretary in nine years
Former Secretary of State for Education Nicky Morgan has replaced Jeremy Wright as culture secretary following UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle.
Morgan becomes the eighth different person to be appointed to the role in nine years, following Wright and his predecessor Matt Hancock who retained his role as health secretary.
Wright, who was only appointed to the role in July 2018, presided over the implementation of cuts to maximum stakes on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) and an increase in the Remote Gaming Duty payable by operators to 21%.
Morgan, a member of parliament for Loughborough since 2010, previously voted to increase the stake and prize limits for FOBTs but also voted against giving local councils powers to regulate betting and FOBTs.
She has not voted in parliament on any issues relating to gambling for the past four years.
The Rt Hon Nicky Morgan @NickyMorgan01 has been appointed Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport @DCMS pic.twitter.com/4wU7PSN9jj
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) July 24, 2019
During the debate over FOBTs in 2018, Morgan challenged now ex-Chancellor Philip Hammond over the government’s stance, saying: “It is the case, isn’t it, that the government has prioritised the preservation of jobs in the gambling industry over the addiction of those who suffer from these machines?”
She has previously served as financial secretary to the treasury and minister for women and equalities under the previous David Cameron government.
Gambling consultant Warwick Bartlett told EGR he expected no change in policy with the appointment.
Bartlett added: “Morgan, when chair of the UK Treasury Committee, condemned the delay in implementing the £2 stake reduction for Fixed Odds Betting Terminals. I doubt that whoever were to find themselves as Secretary of State for Culture you would see any difference in policy from the past. On gambling, most MPs have adopted an anti-attitude akin to religious fervour, with the exception of gambling on horseracing which does not receive any overt scrutiny.
“The industry is where it is, and not where we would like it to be, we just have to let it run its course,” Bartlett said.
The future of current Sports Minister Mims Davies, who was only appointed to the role in November 2018, is also uncertain.