Anna Turley will be the new shadow charities minister, despite a previous announcement that the role had been filled by Ian Lavery, the Labour party said today.
Turley (pictured) joined the House of Commons for the first time in May as the MP for Redcar.
She was appointed to the shadow ministerial role by Tom Watson MP, deputy leader of the Labour Party and shadow minister for the Cabinet Office.
In a statement issued to mark her appointment, Turley criticised the previous government’s big society, which she referred to as a “colossal failure”.
Turley said: “The voluntary and community sector faces huge challenges. It’s been hit by a triple whammy by this government whose big society idea has been a colossal failure. It has seen a reduction in its grant funding from the public sector due to the cuts it has endured since 2010.
“Secondly there are more gaps in local service provision due to the loss of many local public sector preventative services, and thirdly there is an increased need for the support and services that the voluntary sector provide from the public, caused by the devastating impact of changes like welfare reform and a low wage economy.
"To top that off there is the backdrop of huge upheaval in terms of transparency and financial accountability in the sector.
“There is much to be done to challenge the government to build a better climate for the community and voluntary sector to operate in. I look forward to working with the sector to make it easier for them to play their vital role in creating a strong network of support needed by so many vulnerable groups in society.”
A spokeswoman from Tom Watson’s office said that the announcement from Ian Lavery, MP for Wansbeck, on his Twitter account and own website last week that he would be shadow minister for trade unions and civil society was incorrect.
Lavery will have a brief in the Cabinet Office, although charities will not be part of his remit. He is currently expected to remain shadow minister for trade unions.
Turley has served as special adviser in the Cabinet Office with responsibility for social exclusion and the charity and voluntary sector. She went on to become deputy director of local government research organisation New Local Government Network, and set up the Co-Operative Councils Network which aimed to enable local authorities to work in greater partnership with their local communities.
She started her career as a civil servant in the Home Office where she worked on a range of issues including youth crime, immigration and community involvement in the criminal justice system. From 2005 she worked as special adviser in the Department for Work and Pensions, focusing on child poverty and equality.
Lisa Nandy, former shadow minister for civil society, was promoted to Shadow Energy Secretary.
