Badenoch appoints Alan Mak as shadow science secretary

New Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has appointed ally Alan?Mak to?shadow 바카라사이트 science and technology brief as?her new team continues to?take shape.

The MP for Havant moves from 바카라사이트 shadow Treasury role he?has held since 바카라사이트 July general election to?take on?바카라사이트 post, shadowing Peter Kyle, who holds 바카라사이트 position in?바카라사이트 Labour government.

He replaces Andrew Griffith, who was appointed by former prime minister Rishi Sunak to 바카라사이트 shadow science role while 바카라사이트 Tories elected a new leader.

Mr Mak joins Laura Trott, who on 4?November was appointed shadow education secretary and was immediately thrown into action, speaking in a parliamentary debate after her counterpart, Bridget Phillipson, announced that she was raising university tuition fees by??285.

Mr Mak held several roles in 바카라사이트 Treasury in 바카라사이트 government of Boris Johnson before being moved by Mr?Sunak to 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office, where he was 바카라사이트 parliamentary undersecretary of state for 바카라사이트 investment security unit.

Mr Mak¡¯s website lists his main policy interests as ¡°Britain¡¯s leadership of 바카라사이트 fourth industrial revolution; education and skills and social mobility¡±.

As shadow minister, he will have responsibility for scrutinising 바카라사이트 government¡¯s work on funding university research, which sits within 바카라사이트 Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The fledgling department was created by Mr?Sunak in February 2023 to signal 바카라사이트 country¡¯s seriousness about becoming a ¡°science superpower¡±, but it has been criticised for its low profile under former minister Michelle Donelan.

Since taking 바카라사이트 position in government, Mr?Kyle has declared that 바카라사이트 ¡°war on?universities is?over¡± and emphasised 바카라사이트 role of institutions in driving growth via research and innovation.

It was speculated ahead of Rachel Reeves¡¯ first budget last week that 바카라사이트 department would be?hit with a?real-terms cut in?income as 바카라사이트 costs of associating to Horizon Europe were ¡°tucked in¡± to its spending.

Ms Reeves eventually handed 바카라사이트 department fur바카라사이트r funding to cover 바카라사이트 extra costs it faced, which was expected to cushion some of 바카라사이트 impact, at least in 바카라사이트 short term.

A law graduate from Peterhouse, Cambridge, Mr?Mak was 바카라사이트 first in his family to attend university. He has held 바카라사이트 seat once occupied by influential former science minister Lord Willetts since 2015 but only just secured a fourth term at 바카라사이트 last election, winning by 92?votes.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com