Stephen Morgan, the former shadow schools minister, and fellow Labour MP Janet Daby have joined the ministerial team at the Department for Education.
Their exact roles, along with those of recently-appointed ministers Catherine McKinnell and Jacqui Smith, are yet to be confirmed, although Smith is understood to be taking on further and higher education.
Morgan, the MP for Portsmouth South, served as shadow schools minister from December 2021 until last September, when he was replaced by McKinnell.
Before entering Parliament in 2017, Morgan worked in local government and the charity sector. He spoke to Schools Week about his background and vision for education shortly after his appointment.
Morgan posted on X that he was “honoured” to be joining Phillipson’s team “to deliver better childcare and early education”, suggesting at least part of his brief will be the early years.
Early years previously formed part of the wider brief of the children and families minister, but it is not uncommon for new governments to shift responsibilities around or even create new posts.
Daby, the MP for Lewisham East, had been a shadow youth justice minister since last year.
Before entering Parliament in 2018, Daby worked in volunteer management and children’s social care.
They join the currently five-strong ministerial team at the DfE, serving under new education secretary Bridget Phillipson.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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