Labour has appointed Peter Kyle as its first Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The opposition party has moved to separate the science and tech shadow ministerial role away from culture, media and sport, mirroring the move by the Conservative government.

The reshuffle sees previous Shadow Digital and Culture Secretary Lucy Powell named Shadow Leader of the House of Commons.

Kyle won a landslide majority of more than 17,000 as MP for Hove and Portslade in the last general election and has served as an MP since 2015.

A former aide to ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair, he has served in several shadow cabinet roles, most recently as Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, and is a former aid worker in Eastern Europe and charity executive.

Greenwashing, greenhushing, and… greenkeeping

He will sit opposite Michelle Donelan, the Secretary of State for Science and Tech.

“So happy to take on the role of shadow secretary of state for science, innovation, and technology,” Kyle wrote on X. “Together, we’ll foster innovation, strengthen our tech sector, and ensure science fuels economic growth and prosperity.”

He added: “Full disclosure, the above tweet was drafted by AI. Wanted to set off on the right foot!”

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