John Whittingdale is named new Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Monday 11 May 2015 12:39, UK
John Whittingdale has been named as the new Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by Prime Minister David Cameron.
The 55-year-old Conservative MP for Maldon in Essex takes over from Sajid Javid who becomes Business Secretary, a role vacated by Liberal Democrat Vince Cable who lost his seat in last week’s General Election.
As part of his brief, he has been given overall responsibility for sport following a meeting at 10 Downing Street on Monday morning.
Whittingdale has been chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Selection Committee for the past decade and in a 2011 report he stated that the Football Association needed to reform or risk the threat of government legislation.
He has also criticised FIFA president Sepp Blatter whose position in charge of world football was described by Whittingdale as "almost untenable."
Other MPs to have been Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport include Tessa Jowell, Andy Burnham and Jeremy Hunt.
Whittingdale, who was born in Dorset, has been an MP since 1992, having previously worked as a special adviser to Norman Tebbit and Leon Brittan.
He became Political Secretary to the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1988 and has an OBE.
In last Thursday’s General Election, Whittingdale was re-elected in his constituency with a majority of 22,070, having polled more than 60% of the votes.
No change has yet been announced on the Minister of Sport, a post currently occupied by Helen Grant.
