Labour’s Sarah Jones confirmed as new junior energy minister

Sir Keir Starmer has appointed Sarah Jones as a minister across the energy and business and trade portfolios in the new Labour government.

The Prime Minister’s office confirmed a range of ministerial appointments this morning, with the Croydon West MP likely to retain the responsibility for industry and decarbonisation she held in opposition.

Ms Jones will serve as Minister of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Business and Trade.

Ms Jones joins Ed Miliband in Labour’s energy team, after the former party leader was appointed energy secretary on Friday.

Mr Miliband and Ms Jones will now be responsible for delivering on Labour’s energy pledges made during the campaign.

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These include promises to make the UK a “clean energy superpower”, alongside delivering a “phased and responsible” transition in the North Sea.

The party also pledged to halt new oil and gas licences, as well as introduce a “proper windfall tax” on North Sea firms.

The North Sea energy sector remain “deeply concerned” about the Labour campaign proposals, while trade unions and green groups have urged the next government to fund a “just transition” for oil and gas workers.

Who is Sarah Jones?

Ms Jones is a relative newcomer to Labour’s industry and decarbonisation portfolio, taking on the position in early 2023.

She began her parliamentary career at the 2017 General Election, unseating Conservative MP Gavin Barwell in the seat of Croydon Central.

During her early years in parliament, Ms Jones played a prominent role in criticising the political failures which led to the Grenfell Tower fire, and launched a parliamentary group focused on a stronger response to knife crime across the UK.

Promoted to shadow housing minister in 2018, Ms Jones pushed for fire safety reform and protections for leaseholders.

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After backing Sir Keir in the 2020 Labour party leadership election, he appointed her as shadow minister for police and the fire service.

In September 2023 during a shadow cabinet reshuffle, she took on the shadow industry and decarbonisation role shared with the business and trade portfolio.

Prior to entering parliament, Ms Jones held roles with the Labour party and worked for housing charity Shelter, the NHS Confederation, as a civil servant in the London 2012 Olympics team, and for Gatwick Airport.

Decarbonisation

With her experience in the housing portfolio, Ms Jones is likely to play a prominent role in delivering Labour’s £6.6bn Warm Homes Plan.

Importantly for the North Sea oil and gas sector, Ms Jones told a Labour party event last year that it would not be “fair” on business to block the Rosebank oil field.

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Ms Jones has also backed decarbonisation efforts in the British steel industry, and was criticised by environment groups for supporting the UK hydrogen sector

With the UK looking to massively expand its offshore wind production and increase domestic wind manufacturing, the steel sector is set to play a critical role in UK net zero efforts.

Who else could join Labour’s energy team?

In opposition, longstanding Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead served as shadow minister for energy security.

However, Mr Whitehead stood down ahead of the election, meaning Labour will likely need to find a replacement amongst its 412 MPs for the energy security role.

Meanwhile, shadow minister for climate change and Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy won re-election and is a likely candidate to retain the position in government.

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With Labour rumoured to have plans to set up a separate Office for Net Zero, it remains to be seen who else among Labour’s more than 400 MPs could be drafted into an energy-focused role in government.

Labour will have a slew of new MPs in Scotland following the election, and having pledged to locate GB Energy north of the border there could potentially be an energy role on offer for one of the incoming Scottish Labour MPs.

Former cabinet minister Douglas Alexander emerged as one possibility following his return to Westminster as the Lothian East MP.

However, Mr Alexander was confirmed as a new junior business minister on Sunday.

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Other candidates

Other winning Labour candidates with former shadow cabinet experience include incoming Wycombe MP Emma Reynolds.

Former Redcar MP and chair of Co-Operative Party Anna Turley also returns to parliament after regaining the seat she lost at the 2019 election.

Ms Turley previously served on the Westminster Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, and chaired the all-party parliamentary group on hydrogen.

Elsewhere, incoming Leeds North West MP Katie White could be a candidate for an energy related role, having spent time at the Department of Energy and Climate Change between 2009 and 2012.