Coming late to the universities & science brief for the Opposition, Liam Byrne brings valuable experience of government and the private sector. A consummate politician, he slipped in to his new brief quickly and won plaudits in the sector for his engagement in the issues – demonstrated by his thoughtful publications and high amount of face time given to sector leaders (although there was a minor falling-out over the Universities UK letter to The Times, aimed at disrupting the £6,000 fees policy). One of the original ‘Blairites’, Byrne’s politics are unfashionable in Labour at the moment and so is kept out of Ed Miliband’s inner-circle. His appointment to the universities & science brief in late 2013 was widely reported to be a demotion from his previous role as Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary. But his experience gives him credibility and his star could well rise again under new leadership of the Labour Party.
This article is more than 9 years old
Liam Byrne
Coming late to the universities & science brief for the Opposition, Liam Byrne brings valuable experience of government and the private sector. A consummate politician, he slipped in to his new brief quickly and won plaudits in the sector for his engagement in the issues – demonstrated by his thoughtful publications and high amount of … Continued
This article is more than 9 years old