Analysis: Experienced ministers give way to ‘new talent’

The replacement of the aviation and tourism ministers in a government reshuffle last week need not signal a downgrading of government attention on the sector given transport secretary Heidi Alexander signed off on expansion at Gatwick on Sunday.

 

But the industry has lost two knowledgeable and highly engaged ministers, who hit the ground running following Labour’s election victory in July last year, and must now begin the process of engagement and education about the sectors again.

 

Aviation minister Mike Kane was already well known in aviation, having been shadow minister since 2020. He was quick to point out his constituency includes Manchester Airport and acted as speedily as anyone in government might to introduce a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate from January and consult on a revenue certainty mechanism for SAF producers.

 

Similarly, tourism minister Sir Chris Bryant endeared himself to the inbound and domestic sectors with his enthusiasm and energy, insisting he wanted “to see the UK rival France for inbound tourists” and attract 50 million international visitors a year by 2030.

 

Bryant also cheered the outbound sector – despite having multiple responsibilities at two departments as minister for data protection and telecoms as well as for creative industries, arts and tourism – by insisting: “I’m also concerned about outbound. It’s a significant part of the industry.”

 

Their replacements are not just less well known but know less about the industry. New aviation and maritime minister Keir Mather briefly became the youngest MP after winning the Selby by-election in 2023 at the age of 25 and is now the youngest minister since 1834.

 

Mather has experience as a Parliamentary researcher and in public affairs and was on the Treasury Select Committee for six months before becoming a party whip for two. He has shown no recorded interest in transport other than voting for the railways to be publicly owned.

 

A senior aviation source noted of his appointment: “It’s the nature of things in government. PM’s need to bring forward new talent and someone has to give way.”

 

Tourism minister Stephanie Peacock, MP for Barnsley South, has more experience having been in the Commons since 2017 and minister for sport, media, civil society and youth at the Department for Culture (DCMS) for 14 months. Her appointment returns tourism to its position at DCMS prior to last year.

 

Peacock, a former teacher, was also shadow DCMS minister for two years up to the general election and a shadow defence minister and shadow environment minister prior to that.

 

UKinbound chief executive Joss Croft hailed Bryant as “a consistent supporter of the sector” but welcomed Peacock to “this vitally important position”, noting: “Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment as the government prepares to launch its new tourism strategy.”

 

On an official visit to Weston-super-Mare on Monday, Peacock insisted the government remains “committed to building to welcome 50 million international visitors a year by 2030”.