The change of Prime Minister and her new Cabinet has resulted in the appointment of a new Secretary of State for Digital, Culture Media and Sport. The new Minister is Michelle Donelan, MP for Chippenham since 2015. Her employment history before entering politics is somewhat eclectic. She worked in marketing and had corporate responsibility for World Wrestling Entertainment in the US from 2010 to 2014 and her past UK employers include the magazine Marie Claire and The History Channel. Unlike many others in the Government’s new Cabinet, she attended a State School and was the first person in her family to attend university. She holds the record for being the shortest serving Cabinet Member when Boris Johnson recently appointed her Education Secretary but 36 hours later she resigned. Since September 2021 she had held the post of Minister of State for Higher and Further Education.
It must be hoped that her appointment means a new start for the Government’s relationship with media and cultural organisations. However, the Minister already inherits a full inbox with unresolved matters from the previous Culture Secretary. The future of Channel Four and the future funding model for the BBC are just two of the big issues which need to be resolved.
