Lisa Nandy says ‘the hard work starts today’ after being appointed as culture minister

Labour MP Lisa Nandy has said she will do everything she can to “change lives for the better” as the newly appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

The 44-year-old, who was Shadow Secretary for International Development before the general election, replaces Conservative Lucy Frazer, who lost her Ely and East Cambridgeshire seat to the Liberal Democrats.

Ms Nandy said she was “thrilled” to be appointed to the role by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

“Its industries give meaning to the lives of millions of people and unite communities in our towns, villages and cities,” she said in a statement.

“As Minister for Culture, I will do everything in my power to harness the limitless potential of extraordinary people across these incredible sectors to drive economic growth, create opportunity for everyone and transform lives for the better.

“The hard work starts today.”

Thangam Debbonaire served as Shadow Culture Secretary before the UK election but lost her seat in Bristol Central to Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer, one of Labour’s few election night casualties.

In her new role, Ms Nandy will oversee the review of television licence fees.

Last year Ms Frazer announced a review of the levy that funds much of the BBC’s work, with the household levy rising by £10.50 to a total of £169.50 after a two-year freeze.

Under the terms of the review of the BBC’s funding model, an expert panel will consider which corporate services could become fully commercial, as well as the commercial revenues the broadcaster could generate.

The committee will also address the issues of financing the BBC World Service and programmes broadcast in minority languages.

The Conservative government has previously stated it is committed to maintaining the licence fee until the end of the current charter period in December 2027.

The Labour Party leadership will decide the future of the BBC after considering the commission’s report, which is due to be published in the autumn.

In 2020, Ms Nandy wrote an article for news website LabourList in which she said she would “defend free media”, before setting out her position on BBC reform.

“My Labor government would like to tax social media companies to create a fund to support local media and investigative journalism, building on the Local Democratic Reporters program,” she wrote.

“I want to protect the licence fee and my government will not hold the BBC in check on staffing and funding.”

She said the BBC should move to a model of “being owned and run by licence fee holders – who can help decide the trade-offs the BBC has to make to secure its future”.

Her mother, Luise Nandy, was a television producer, best known for the long-running former news programme What The Papers Say and the 2000 student debate programme Gloves Off.

The Labour Party pledged in its manifesto to “work constructively with the BBC and other public service broadcasters”, increasing access to culture and the arts and investing in the creative industries as part of its industrial strategy.

Wigan MP Ms Nandy previously spoke out about the controversy surrounding former BBC chairman Richard Sharp, when questions were raised about the former Goldman Sachs banker’s role in helping then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 loan guarantee.

When the BBC asked her if he should resign, she said Mr Sharp had made “serious errors of judgement” and his position was “increasingly untenable”.

Mr Sharp resigned after the report was published and was succeeded by Samir Shah, who was chief executive of production company Juniper TV.

Ms Nandy has previously openly expressed her support for music venues and nightclubs during the pandemic.

Her nomination was “warmly” received by the Music Venue Trust (MVT).

The charity, which campaigns for local music venues, said: “Lisa takes up the role at a pivotal time for live music in our communities, with the opportunity to deliver real, positive and long-lasting change that can protect, secure and improve the country’s local music venues.

“We look forward to meeting her as soon as possible so we can begin the work of restoring British music to its rightful place as the beating heart of our towns and cities.”

In 2022, Ms Nandy told Times Radio that nightclubs must reopen to help settle scores in cities, while also acting as a shadow to settle scores with the Secretary.

She said: “Every town has lost a nightclub that was very important to them, that was part of our history and heritage. In Wigan we had that northern soul and we miss that very much.

“The live music venues that used to support bands like The Verve, who came from Wigan and could tour all over Wigan, now they just have to travel to Manchester to do it. Those venues have disappeared over the last few decades.

“There is a serious purpose behind this because, in addition to providing young people from every part of the country with opportunities, and the culture, history and identity that comes with that, it means we are a reflection of the nation’s history.”

The UK’s music and performing arts union Equity has warned the government that its sectors need help.

Tom Kiehl, chief executive of UK Music, the trade body representing the collective interests of the British music industry, on Friday appealed to “music lover” Sir Keir to help reverse the decline in music teacher numbers and strengthen the sector.

He also said Ms Nandy’s appointment as Culture Minister was “fantastic news and adds further impetus to the new government’s ambitious plans for music and culture”.

Mr Kiehl added: “UK Music has worked with Lisa before, including organising a successful music talent event at the Old Courts in her constituency of Wigan.

“Her commitment to music means she is the ideal person to help UK Music and its members address the opportunities and challenges facing the music industry, and contribute to the sustainable development of our sector.”

Paul Fleming, general secretary of performing arts union Equity, said: “We will be pushing the new administration to deliver a long-term funding plan for the UK arts that reaches the European average, to tackle the high start-up fees charged by casting directors, to make Universal Credit fairer to freelancers, to ensure that public funding only supports work on decent union terms, and to fight for better rights in the video games and TV advertising sectors.”

British music and entertainment unions have also previously raised concerns about the use of AI, with Mr Kiehl calling on the government to take action before “AI tech companies destroy our globally successful industry”.

In July 2023, the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee launched an inquiry into film and television, examining what needs to be done to maintain and enhance the UK’s position as a global production destination.

Amid the election, the company said it was “deeply concerned about the skills, working conditions and retention of workers in the industry” and that the industry was “facing significant uncertainty”.

There was hope that the future government would address these staffing issues.