The latest government reshuffle has left the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) looking markedly different, with only two of the five ministers remaining in post. While Secretary of State Ed Miliband MP reportedly resisted pressure to move to the housing brief, the team beneath him has been almost entirely rebuilt. [1] In this article, Brevia Energy takes a look at the new DESNZ make-up.
Michael Shanks MP – Minister of State
Michael Shanks remains in the Department, promoted from Parliamentary Under-Secretary to Minister of State. Regarded as capable and pragmatic, his role is seen as important for bridging relations with Scotland, particularly around the North Sea oil and gas transition. Following a brief five day period of holding a role across DESNZ and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), he has now returned to have a sole energy focus.
The Lord Vallance of Balham – Minister of State
Lord Vallance becomes DESNZ’s new Lords Minister, alongside his existing role as Minister for Science, Research and Innovation at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). His appointment highlights the Government’s determination to harness the opportunities of AI and digitalisation in energy policy, echoing the appointment of The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP to Business and Trade Secretary.
Lord Vallance was the Government Chief Scientific Adviser from 2018 to 2023, becoming a household name during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was then appointed as a Science Minister in July 2024, with responsibility for R&D, Horizon Europe and tech innovation across the Government’s Missions.
Katie White MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Katie White has been appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary at DESNZ. The Leeds North West MP was first elected in July 2024, and was made Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Department shortly after. With an OBE for her work in climate engagement, White has been a long-standing environmentalist: early in her career, she worked for Friends of the Earth as a Climate Change Campaigner. On LinkedIn, White confirmed that she will be taking on Kerry McCarthy’s former role of Climate Minister.[2]
White has also previously worked with the Secretary of State Ed Miliband, supporting with the delivery of the 2008 Climate Change Act.
Chris McDonald MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Chris McDonald MP has been appointed a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State across DESNZ and DBT. Like fellow Minister Katie White, McDonald was first elected to Parliament in July 2024, and served as a PPS for the Department until his Ministerial appointment.
With a background in chemical engineering and steel, and as former CEO of the Materials Processing Institute, where he led its divestment from Tata Steel, we can expect McDonald to take on the industrial brief held by Sarah Jones MP until now. As a PPS, McDonald spoke frequently on industrial issues, including steel and the Teesside defence and innovation cluster.
Martin McCluskey MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West MP Martin McCluskey has been appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary at DESNZ. Also first elected to Parliament in July 2024, McCluskey was previously a councillor from 2022 until his election, and worked for Labour as an advisor, and as the party’s Political Director for Scotland between 2016 – 2017.
Similar to White, McCluskey has also previously worked with Miliband. As a senior member of the Scottish Fabians, McCluskey has focused on investment for Scotland and having Scottish voices heard in Westminster. It was in McCluskey’s constituency that now-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer MP announced Labour’s plan to create Great British Energy as one of the Party’s key campaign pledges prior to the July 2024 General Election. His role will be central to managing the politics of the North Sea transition, ensuring a “just transition” and defending the Government’s record on energy bills ahead of the Holyrood elections. Since his appointment, McCluskey has been responding to Parliamentary Questions on the topics including energy bills and the Warm Homes Plan, suggesting he may inherit the consumer brief previously held by Miatta Fahnbulleh MP.[3]
Implications & forward lookahead
The reshuffle leaves DESNZ with a new team that reflects the Government’s wider economic and political priorities. By appointing Lord Vallance, the PM is signalling the central role that AI and digitalisation will play in shaping the UK’s energy future, with innovation and emerging technologies seen as drivers of growth and efficiency. At the same time, the appointment of Martin McCluskey underlines the importance of keeping Scotland onside, ensuring that the Government is seen to defend households on energy bills while also delivering a fair North Sea transition that safeguards jobs and communities.
The reported attempt to move Ed Miliband from DESNZ could suggest unease within No.10 about the growing threat from Reform UK, with the cost of green policies viewed as a political vulnerability. It also brings attention back to reported tensions with the Treasury over the affordability of the clean power target. With the Budget approaching and fiscal pressures mounting, DESNZ ministers will need to demonstrate that their ambitions can be delivered within the realities of constrained public spending.
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Notes
[1] The Independent, ‘Ed Miliband defied Starmer bid to strip him of energy secretary brief’, 8 September, Link
[2] Katie White MP, LinkedIn, 9 September 2025, Link
[3] UK Parliament, Written Question UIN 75556, 8 September 2025, Link
