MP who said gambling had “destroyed far too many lives” made DCMS Secretary
Outspoken Michelle Donelan appointed by Liz Truss to head up department responsible for long-awaited white paper
UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has announced former Education Secretary Michelle Donelan as the new Secretary for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) following Nadine Dorries’ resignation.
As part of her first cabinet, Truss has opted for a swathe of fresh faces, including the appointment of Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Suella Braverman as Home Secretary.
Donelan moves into her role as head of DCMS, with her remit including the long-delayed white paper into the Gambling Act 2005 review.
The white paper is still with Downing Street awaiting publication after former de facto gambling minister Chris Philp delivered the document before his resignation this summer.
Donelan will be supported by current ‘gambling minister’ Damian Collins in looking to finally bring the publication to light.
In an interesting turn away from Truss’ assumed anti-state approach, the MP for Chippenham has been vocal regarding gambling-related harms and was a key backer of reformation during the FOBT debate.
The Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP @MichelleDonelan has been appointed Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport @DCMS#Reshuffle pic.twitter.com/VnnBpOMGbL
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) September 6, 2022
In fact, Donelan previously said that gambling had “destroyed far too many lives”.
In a 2018 House of Commons debate, Donelan pushed then-DCMS Secretary Matt Hancock on what the government was doing to support those suffering from gambling-related harm.
She said: “What steps his department is taking to reduce problem gambling?
“As the Secretary of State knows, I am strongly supportive of the decision taken on FOBTs, but problem gambling is an issue in my constituency, especially among the vulnerable. What more can the department do to push gambling companies to better support addicts?”
Earlier this year, Donelan, then Minister of State for Higher and Further Education, said the government remained “committed to preventing gambling-related harm”.
Elsewhere, EGR spoke to several industry experts on what Truss’ Premiership might mean for the white paper and the future of gambling in the UK.