LISA NANDY has hit the ground running since taking office as secretary of state for culture, media and sport in July 2024 following Labour's election victory.
In January, she unveiled a major £60 million boost for the creative industries, with £40m earmarked for video game studios, British music, and film exports. The funding aims to drive growth across the UK, particularly benefiting businesses outside London.
Working alongside foreign secretary David Lammy, Nandy helped launch the UK Soft Power Council, a new initiative to harness the country’s cultural influence globally. She highlighted how British exports like the Premier League, Peaky Blinders, and Adele showcase the nation's strengths worldwide.
Her early months in office have seen several significant decisions. She increased tax relief to 53 per cent for independent film productions under £15m. In a controversial move, she announced the end of the National Citizen Service programme from March 2025, despite criticism from former prime minister David Cameron who had introduced the scheme.
Nandy has been particularly vocal about football governance, supporting the introduction of an Independent Football Regulator. Speaking at Gigg Lane, home of Bury FC, the Wigan MP said the Football Governance Bill is “personal” for her.
“I know better than anyone what that inaction means for clubs, not just like Bury, but for Wigan Athletic as well, my own club that went into administration. We nearly lost it twice,” he said.
In regional development, she announced a £13.5m investment for creative technology firms in Merseyside and the West Midlands. At a major economic growth summit in Gateshead, she outlined plans to support creative businesses across priority regions including the North East, Greater Manchester, and Liverpool city region.
Born in Manchester to Luise and Dipak Nandy, Lisa's father was an Indian-born activist who played a crucial role in drafting the 1976 Race Relations Act. Her education took her from Parrs Wood High School and Holy Cross College to Newcastle University, where she studied politics, graduating in 2001. She later earned a master's degree in public policy from Birkbeck, University of London.
Before entering the parliament, Nandy dedicated herself to supporting vulnerable children. She worked as a researcher at the homelessness charity Centrepoint from 2003 to 2005, followed by a role as senior policy adviser at The Children's Society until 2010.
Her political journey began in 2010 when she was elected as MP for Wigan, a seat she continues to hold. During her time in opposition, she served in various shadow cabinet roles, including shadow foreign secretary and shadow secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities.
Nandy has been particularly passionate about championing towns, co-founding the Centre for Towns to advocate for often-overlooked coastal and industrial communities. She authored All In: How We Build a Country That Works, arguing for greater local power and responsibility.
In 2020, she stood as a candidate in the Labour party leadership election, demonstrating her ambition to influence national policy at the highest level.
Now, as a minister in Keir Starmer's government, Nandy is focused on driving economic growth through Britain's creative industries while ensuring these opportunities reach all parts of the country.
