News

Brennan succeeds Hope as new third sector minister

Fundraising | 14 Oct 2008

Kevin Brennan, MP for Cardiff West, has been appointed as the new minister for the third sector, replacing Phil Hope who moves to the Department of Health.

Brennan, 38 (pictured), was formerly a junior minister at the Department of Children, Schools, and Families (DCSF), where he had specific responsibility for the third sector.

A former history teacher and Oxford graduate, he was born in Cwmbran, south Wales, and was first elected as an MP for Cardiff West in June 2001.

In Tony Blair’s government he was made assistant government whip and in June 2007 Gordon Brown appointed him as a parliamentary under-secretary of state in the DCSF. He has been replaced in this role by Lady Delyth Morgan, the former chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

In addition to his political duties Brennan is a member of parliamentary rock band MP4, who have helped raise more than £320,000 for charity since their first gig.

Commenting on his appointment Brennan said: "Through my work as an MP I am acutely aware of the importance of a thriving third sector. My own work in setting up and chairing the all party group on muscular dystrophy has given me an insight into the challenges that the sector faces. I am committed to doing everything I can to drive forward the government's programme of support for the sector.

"In the current economic climate it is more important than ever that the third sector has a strong champion within government. I will be proud to carry this torch and buil on the work of my predecessors. I look forward to working with all of you in the sector."

Hope’s boss, the former and first-ever charities minister Ed Miliband, has also moved in the ministerial reshuffle. He becomes secretary of state for energy and climate change in a new department. Liam Byrne replaces him as minister for the Cabinet Office.

Nick Hurd new shadow charities spokesman

Nick Hurd, conservative MP for Ruislip-Northwood and son of former foreign secretary Lord Douglas Hurd, will replace Greg Clark as the new Conservative charities spokesman.

Clark has followed Ed Miliband out of the voluntary sector and into energy. Clark is the new shadow secretary of state for energy and climate change as part of a limited shuffle of the Conservative’s Party front bench team.

Hurd was elected to parliament in 2005. He has served on the environment audit committee and in 2006 successfully took through parliament a private members bill, the Sustainable Communities Act.

Since 2007, Hurd has been a member of the shadow teams for Justice, Communities, and Local Government.