Success in government, like reputation in business, takes time to establish but can be ruined in an instant. The Department for Science Innovation and Technology, a wholly new ministry established in 2023 by Rishi Sunak, was well on the way to becoming a rare government success. Now it has been abolished, overnight, by Andy Burnham.

Labour insiders claim position of Ed Miliband was key transition decision

Loss of stand-alone Department for Science, Innovation and Technology risks research becoming ‘afterthought’ in governmental discussions, argue sector leaders