She lost that contest to Sir Keir Starmer but today is a key member of his Cabinet. Rumours are circulating, however, that the Prime Minister is considering sending his Culture Secretary to the backbenches.
However, if the argument for removing Nandy depends on removing her department, not everyone is convinced that DCMS should be scrapped. A former government aide told The i Paper that it would be “ludicrous” to scrap the department, noting its economic contribution and influence over major soft power institutions, such as the BBC and the Premier League.
Merging departments has also proven cumbersome in the past. A 2024 National Audit Office report into the merger of the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development found that integration had still not been completed more than three years later, with “unclear objectives” and “insufficient evidence” on value for money.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle arrive in Downing Street, London, for a Cabinet meeting (Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire)Insiders have insisted that this memo was merely “blue sky thinking” and that the proposals were never put before either Starmer or his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney.
‘She hasn’t achieved a lot’
Nandy took over as culture secretary in July 2024 after Thangam Debbonaire, who had held the shadow role prior to the election, lost her seat to the Greens. Though widely regarded as a thoughtful and articulate politician, she has struggled to gain visibility in a brief often regarded as marginal.
“There’s been some grumpiness about her reluctance to be in London,” one figure in the sector told The i Paper. “There’s a feeling she did not meet key stakeholders as often or as quickly as she should have done.”
Paul Fleming, general secretary of the Equity union, told The House that it took 200 days to secure a meeting between Nandy and representatives of the three main creative unions — a delay he described as unacceptable. “That’s representing 100,000 creative workers – 200 days for 30 minutes. And that was only after an angry letter,” he said.
Nandy’s main contribution so far has been to suggest the corporation could be “mutualised”, which could involve licence fee payers voting to place a “viewer representative” on the BBC Board.
Nandy is charge or renewing the BBC’s charter (Getty)
Whatever the eventual choice, Nandy is clear that the licence fee needs to change. She told The Telegraph in April that it was “unenforceable” since fewer people were choosing to pay it, and questioned the disproportionate number of of women among those prosecuted for evasion.
The case for the defence
But allies of Nandy insist her record is stronger than it appears. They point to her achievements, such as securing trade deals with India and Japan to support UK film, TV, and fashion exports, as well as the £8.2bn in funding for community sports her department received at the recent spending review.
Nandy’s reportedly low-key approach has been the subject of repeated anonymous critical briefing from with Government. The Daily Mail reported earlier this year that Downing Street insiders had accused her of only working “about two days a week” and of focusing exclusively on the “sport” aspects of her portfolio.
One insider suggested figures like Nandy and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner are being targeted because of their soft-left credentials. They also indicated that some briefings could be coming from MPs hoping to “rise through the ranks” at future reshuffles.
An ally of Lisa Nandy said that “there will always be a strain of anti-Northern prejudice that Lisa faces from a small group of people in Westminster who think the only measure of success is being sat behind a desk in London all week”.
“Whether it’s leading a major investment summit for the creative industries in Gateshead, backing film and TV production in the South West, or championing grassroots sports in County Durham, Lisa is out in the country every week, working directly with the people who drive our cultural, sporting and media sectors forwards.”
There have been reports that No 10 insiders have been critical of Nandy (Anadolu via Getty Images)‘Boys’ club’ briefings
In April, one insider told The i Paper: “The briefing often seems to be directed at senior women… I’m not sure about this idea of No 10 being a boys’ club – but there may be something to it.”
The same source suggested that Starmer remained unaware of how this culture was influencing internal dynamics: “For some reason, Keir seems to be really oblivious to all of this.”
“This isn’t a game. There is serious heavy lifting to do.”
But others believe she remains a long-term player, popular among the party’s grassroots and capable of contesting future leadership races. In that context, talk of a reshuffle may have as much to do with curbing her ambitions as with policy delivery.
Lisa Nandy was contacted for comment.
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