Scottish Labour MP becomes minister as part of Starmer’s reshuffle

Scottish Labour MP Martin McCluskey said he was “looking forward to a new challenge” after becoming a junior energy minister in Sir Keir Starmer’s reshuffle.

The Prime Minister has completed a major overhaul of his Cabinet and ministerial team in the aftermath of Angela Rayner’s resignation on Friday.

As part of changes announced on Sunday Mr McCluskey, the MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West, has moved from the whips’ office to the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.

Mr McCluskey, who became an MP last July, said it had been “an honour to serve as a whip” for the Government since then.

He added he was “now looking forward to a new challenge”, working with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband on “some of the biggest issues facing my constituents and the country”.

Other moves as part of the reshuffle on Sunday saw Livingston MP Gregor Poynton become an assistant whip.

Meanwhile Ian Murray, who was sacked as Scottish Secretary on Friday has been appointed to junior ministerial roles in both the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.