Nigel Huddleston has been appointed shadow culture secretary in a frontbench reshuffle by Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch. He replaces Stuart Andrew, who will now take on the shadow health brief.

Both MPs were instrumental players in steering the Gambling Act Review towards the finishing line – until, that is, the general election was called in the summer of 2024, the result of which seems to have has set reform and modernisation of the industry back, some will argue at least a decade.

Huddleston was a former minister at the DCMS and knows the gambling sector well. He is the member for Droitwich and Evesham and among his previous posts he was financial secretary to the Treasury from late 2023 to mid-2024. He also served as civil society minister from February 2020 to September 2022 and was co-chairman of the Conservative Party from November 2024 until his latest appointment.

“It has been a privilege to serve as Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party alongside the brilliant Lord Johnson,” he commented on X. “I am also delighted to take over the shadow DCMS brief so ably championed by Stuart Andrew. I am passionate about all DCMS sectors and am honoured to have been asked by Kemi to take on this new challenge.”

Andrew had held the culture role since the 2024 general election but moves to health following Edward Argar’s departure due to a “health scare”, according to the Melton Times.

Andrew, who succeeded Huddleston as civil society minister in 2022, said he was “honoured” to take on the health brief.