Anne-Marie Trevelyan has been named the new transport secretary, replacing Grant Shapps.
She was previously the Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade from 15 September 2021.
She Tweeted: “I’m thrilled to have been appointed Transport Sec. Transport is crucial to our lives – bringing people together, creating jobs & connecting the UK with the world.
“Looking forward to getting to work on the many challenges & opportunities transport brings.”
The move follows Liz Truss’s appointment as Prime Minister. Anne-Marie replaces Grant Shapps, who has held the role since July 2019.
He Tweeted: “It has been a privilege to serve as transport secretary; a job I loved. Now I look forward to being a strong voice on the backbenches, developing policies that will further the Conservative cause and the interests of my constituents in Welwyn Hatfield.”
Commenting on the appointment, Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA) said: “We would like to congratulate Anne-Marie Trevelyan on being appointed as Secretary of State for Transport. It is clearly a challenging but exciting time for the railway, with the industry standing ready and willing to play its part as the Government seeks to generate economic growth, level up and deliver Net Zero. We wish the Secretary of State well in her new role.
“Rail plays a transformational role in creating economic growth, hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of pounds in tax revenue. With passenger numbers regularly reaching over 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels, it’s clear that rail has a bright and prosperous future.
“We’d also like to pay tribute to the outgoing Secretary of State and the Rail Minister, and wish Grant Shapps and Wendy Morton respectively all the very best for the future.”
Meanwhile rail union RMT has written to the new Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP urging her to take a new approach to the rail dispute.
Anne-Marie was appointed yesterday and is on record as opposing ticket office closures in her constituency.
In November last year, the Berwick MP held talks with rail operator LNER in a bid to reverse its proposals to cut hours at Berwick Railway Station’s Travel Centre.
In the letter, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “We are encouraged that you are on the record as wanting to save rail ticket offices, staffing and services in your own constituency and I would urge you to continue this approach as Secretary of State.
“There is clearly now the opportunity for a new approach from the Government to facilitate discussions between the RMT and the employers where the train companies and Network Rail are given more flexibility to secure a deal that is in the interests of workers, passengers and the country as a whole.”
The RMT is due to take strike action on 15 and 17 September in a bid to secure a negotiated settlement to the ongoing national rail dispute.
Ministerial appointments
- The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP as Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
- The Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey MP as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. She will also be Deputy Prime Minister
- The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP as Chancellor of the Exchequer
- The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
- The Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP as Secretary of State for the Home Department
- Wendy Morton MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip). She will attend Cabinet
- The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP has been re-appointed as Secretary of State for Defence
- The Rt Hon Brandon Lewis CBE MP as Lord Chancellor, and Secretary of State for Justice
- The Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and Minister for Equalities
- The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP as Lord President of the Council, and Leader of the House of Commons
- Lord True CBE as Lord Privy Seal, and Leader of the House of Lords
- The Rt Hon Jake Berry MP as Minister without Portfolio
- The Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP has been re-appointed as COP26 President
- The Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- The Rt Hon Simon Clarke MP as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
- Kemi Badenoch MP as Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade
- Chloe Smith MP as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
- The Rt Hon Kit Malthouse MP as Secretary of State for Education
- Ranil Jayawardena MP as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP as Secretary of State for Transport
- The Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- The Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
- The Rt Hon Alister Jack MP has been re-appointed as Secretary of State for Scotland
- The Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland KBE QC MP has been re-appointed as Secretary of State for Wales
- Chris Philp MP as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. He will attend Cabinet
- Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP as Attorney General. He will attend Cabinet
- Edward Argar MP as Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office. He will attend Cabinet
- Vicky Ford MP as a Minister of State (Minister for Development) in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. She will attend Cabinet
- Tom Tugendhat MBE MP as a Minister of State (Minister for Security) in the Home Department. He will attend Cabinet
- James Heappey MP has been re-appointed as a Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence. He will be Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans and will attend Cabinet.
- Graham Stuart MP as a Minister of State (Minister for Climate) in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He will attend Cabinet.
Photo credit: UK Government
