Labour MP Chris McDonald looks likely to become the UK’s next science minister, although his new department is declining to confirm the appointment.
Earlier this week McDonald, the MP for Stockton North, was named as a minister of state in the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade following a reshuffle by new prime minister Andy Burnham.
He will serve with colleagues Kate Dearden and Anas Sarwar who have both also been appointed as ministers in the department which will be led by secretary of state Jonathan Reynolds.
But while Dearden has been named minister for work and Sarwar will be the trade minister, McDonald, who was an under secretary of state for industry under previous prime minister Keir Starmer, has not confirmed his position.
An official Labour Party account on LinkedIn, Labour Business Relations, has named McDonald as the new minister of state for science.
