Nigel Huddleston to take over as shadow culture secretary following reshuffle by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch

Nigel Huddleston MP is set to take over as shadow culture secretary following a reshuffle by Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch.

He succeeds Stuart Andrew, who has been promoted to the role of shadow health secretary.

Huddleston, who was most recently co-chair of the Conservative Party, is no stranger to the brief, which includes gambling and horseracing, having been a culture minister under the previous government.

It was during his time at the department that the last government launched its gambling review, which eventually led to the 2023 white paper.

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) welcomed Huddleston to the role, saying he brought with him a "deep understanding of the betting and gaming sector".

Grainne Hurst: welcomed Nigel Huddleston to his new role

BGC chief executive Grainne Hurst said: "We warmly welcome Nigel Huddleston MP to his new role. He knows our industry well and has always championed evidence-based policy and open dialogue. We look forward to working with him and his team on the important issues facing our sector, from supporting sport and high street jobs to promoting safer gambling."

The BGC also congratulated Andrew on his move to shadow health secretary. Previously Andrew had also been a culture minister and it was during his time in the post that the white paper was published.

More recently Andrew accompanied Badenoch when they attended a racing policy conference at Tattersalls in Newmarket this month, when the subject of the potential impact of government plans for online gambling tax harmonisation led the agenda.

Hurst added: "We’d also like to thank Stuart Andrew MP for his constructive engagement and wish him every success in his new role at the Department of Health."

Badenoch's reshuffle also featured the return of former home secretary and foreign secretary Sir James Cleverly to the opposition front bench.

Read these next:

‘We must not let this industry die’ - Kemi Badenoch hears racing's grave concerns about Treasury tax proposals 

Former gambling minister Stuart Andrew named shadow culture secretary by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch 

Gambling minister Stuart Andrew promises not to sign off affordability checks until he is sure they work 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.