Donelan keeps DCMS leadership as gambling sees no progress on reforms

Michelle Donelan has kept her ministerial role as Secretary of State for the department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS).  

Yesterday afternoon, new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared no changes to DCMS’ leadership, a department that has witnessed 11 secretarial changes in the past 12 years.

An appointment of PM Liz Truss’ short-lived premiership, Donelan replaced Nadine Dorries as Culture Secretary on 7 September.

Following Truss’ abrupt resignation, Donelan declared her support for Rishi Sunak to become PM, branding him “the man to steer the ship with all wings of the Conservative Party”.

Donelan will maintain stewardship of DCMS, a department that has lagged in keeping its schedule on reviews and reforms pledged under the Conservative Party’s 2019 election manifesto.

The department’s agenda includes completing its delayed review of the BBC and whether to proceed with the privatisation of Channel 4, which has divided opinion within party ranks.

 Should no further changes be summoned, the department’s gambling duties will continue to be overseen by Damian Collins as  Undersecretary for Media and Tech.

In July, Collins was put in charge of overseeing the Gambling Review’s final proceedings following the resignation of Chris Philp, who quit as undersecretary in protest of PM Boris Johnson’s leadership. 

Collins is the fifth minister to lead the Gambling Review which was sanctioned in December 2020. He is preceded by MPs Chris Philp, John Whittingdale, Nigel Adams and Nigel Huddleston.

2022’s frustrating regulatory proceedings saw the government announce consecutive delays in the publishing of the White Paper on gambling reforms

In July DCMS announced its last formal update on the review, citing that industry reforms would be settled by a new cabinet taking office in September.

UK gambling remains doubtful that a new government will publish the White Paper by the close of the year as leadership continues to wait on critical judgements related to customer affordability checks, compliance, wagering limits, advertising and football sponsorships.