Jacqui Smith expected to become skills and FE minister
Ex-Labour home secretary Jacqui Smith is set to make a comeback in government
Former Labour Party member Jacqui Smith, who previously held the position of home secretary, is set to make a comeback in government.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has chosen Jacqui Smith, the former Home Secretary, to be a Minister of State at the Department for Education.
FE Week has learned that Smith is set to oversee the skills, further and higher education portfolio, but this information has not been officially verified by the Department for Education.
Smith held several important positions in the previous Labour government. She made history as the first female home secretary in the country and also served as the minister for 14-19 learners and schools from 2005 to 2006.
Smith will take charge of Labour's changes to skills from the House of Lords.
The successful manifesto of the Labour party promised to get rid of the apprenticeship levy and establish Skills England, a new taskforce that would work together with different government departments to plan a strategy for improving skills on a national level.
Bridget Phillipson was named the education secretary yesterday. More members of the DfE ministerial team will be revealed in the next few days.
In a recent tweet, Smith shared on X, the platform that was previously called Twitter.
I am very excited to be going back to @educationgovuk [Department for Education] to work alongside the highly talented @bphillipsonMP [Bridget Phillipson] in a vital role that focuses on providing opportunities for everyone and supporting the government's main goal of promoting growth.
This shows that Starmer has combined the responsibilities of the skills and higher education ministers. Previously, Seema Malhotra was in charge of skills while Matt Western handled higher education.
Starmer and his recently selected cabinet will start getting ready for their inaugural King’s Speech, scheduled for July 17th.
The laws mentioned in the King's Speech might involve a new law to swap the existing apprenticeship tax with a levy focused on skills and growth, along with the creation of Skills England.
During the years 1997 to 2010, I served as the Labour MP representing the constituency of Redditch.
During the years 2005 to 2006, I served as the Minister responsible for schools and education for students aged 14 to 19 at the Department for Education and Skills.
2006-2007: Leader of the ruling party in government
2013-2021: Head of the Board at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
2018-2024: Host, For The Many podcast
2021-2024: Head of Barking, Havering, and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust and Barts Health NHS Trust
