Net zero minister Graham Stuart quits Cabinet role to focus on constituency ahead of election
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Net Zero minister Graham Stuart has quit his Cabinet role to focus on his constituency ahead of the upcoming election, he has announced.
Mr Stuart, who has served on the front bench for much of the last eight years, said that he will continue to give Rishi Sunak “full support from the backbenches” as he steps down from his post as energy security and net zero minister to concentrate on local issues.
But he says that he will be standing again as the MP for Beverley and Holderness at the next general election, which he told the Prime Minister he looks “forward to fighting and winning”.
Andrew Mitchell has been named Deputy Foreign Secretary while Justin Tomlinson will take over as energy minister in a mini-reshuffle after Graham Stuart announced he was standing down from the role.
Downing Street said Foreign Office minister Mr Mitchell has been given the “honorific title” on Friday.
Mims Davies, former parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Work and Pensions, has replaced Mr Tomlinson as minister for disabled people, health and work, Downing Street said.
It comes after a seat-by-seat poll by YouGov predicted last week that the Yorkshire constituency would fall to Labour at the next election, after Mr Stuart won it by a 20,000-strong majority in 2019.
‘Continue to give full support’
In a letter to Mr Sunak, Mr Stuart said: “Having served as a minister for most of the last eight years I have decided that now is the time to stand down. I intend to continue serving my constituents in Beverley & Holderness, campaigning on local issues and look forward to fighting and winning the seat later this year.”
He added: “I will continue to give you my full support from the backbenches and will be forever grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve as a member of your ministerial team”.
Responding to Mr Stuart, Mr Sunak said: “I understand your desire to step down as a Minister. These jobs are all-consuming and you have served in Government almost continuously since 2016.”
He added: “I know you are a committed environmentalist and that you have brought that passion to your role as Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero.
“You can be proud of the role you have played in getting the UK halfway to Net Zero, having reduced our emissions further and faster than any other major economy.”
Mr Stuart becomes the latest in a spate of ministerial resignations from Cabinet, with education minister Robert Halfon quitting two weeks ago - on the same day that Armed Forces minister James Heappey officially left his Government post.
Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, said that the “drumbeat of Conservative resignations is becoming deafening”.
“Ministers are finding any excuse they can to get away from this deeply unpopular Conservative Government. Even Rishi Sunak’s Ministers know that time is up on this tired and out of touch Government.”
He will be replaced by Justin Tomlinson, who had previously served as a minister in the Department of Work and Pensions.
More than 60 Tory MPs have announced that they will not be standing at the next election, including former prime minister Theresa May.
Former ministers in the past have often left Whitehall for a job in the private sector.
To do so, they first need to approach the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), whose rules are designed to prevent those with insider information from engaging in lobbying.
The Ministerial Code dictates that ministers should seek advice from Acoba about any appointments or employment they wish to take up within two years of leaving office.
