UK Tech Minister Booted Out In Weekend Cabinet Reshuffle

UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer cleared out the officials in charge of tech and digital law in a dramatic cabinet reshuffle at the weekend.

Former work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall has replaced Peter Kyle as science, innovation and technology secretary and will take over responsibility for the controversial Online Safety Act, which has drawn criticism with regard to privacy and censorship.

Starmer was forced into the reshuffle after Angela Rayner resigned as deputy PM amid a media frenzy over her tax affairs - specifically, she underpaid stamp duty on a property.

Kyle will become secretary of state for business and trade after a tenure at the science and technology ministry that included overseeing the introduction of the government's Cyber Security and Resilience (CSR) Bill.

Among his other achievements was a "partnership" with Google, in which the ad giant will "aim to upskill up to 100,000 civil servants in the latest tech by 2030."

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Kyle was also responsible for planning a team within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technolog (DSIT) to "join up public services" and avoid citizens telling dozens of public sector bodies the same information. In a bid to improve public sector efficiency, the minister announced a new package of AI tools nicknamed Humphrey, in homage to the classic British satirical TV comedy Yes Minister.

Meanwhile, Poppy Gustafsson has left her role as the UK's investment minister. The former Darktrace CEO was hired to draw on her business experience to promote the UK as an attractive place to invest and do business and got a peerage at the same time. Jason Stockwood will replace her as minister of state (minister for investment) jointly in the Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury.

Kanishka Narayan has been appointed as a new under-secretary in DSIT, while Ian Murray will become minister of state jointly in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the DSIT.

Lord Vallance has been appointed as minister of state in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. He will remain minister of state in DSIT. ®